


Son In Law

by xotragician_child



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Bisexuality, F/M, M/M, Makeover, Moving to the city, Sexuality Crisis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2019-10-19 13:45:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 42,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17602466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xotragician_child/pseuds/xotragician_child
Summary: Country boy Gerard Way has spent most of his life on a farm in South Dakota, and, when he goes away to college in Los Angeles, Gerard immediately feels out of place in the daunting urban setting. He is befriended by a savvy party animal named Ghoul, who convinces the ambivalent Gerard to stay in the city. When Thanksgiving break rolls around, Gerard, no longer an innocent farm boy, invites Ghoul back to South Dakota, where he pretends to be Gerard's fiancé.





	1. Chapter 1

 

South Dakota, 1993

“As your principal, I watched you all start out here at Lincoln High... Caterpillars in our cocoon of stability. Over the last four years, your chrysalis has hardened. And now if I listen closely, I can almost hear your cocoons opening. I see before me monarch butterflies. Ready to take off into that great adventure... That I like to call 'life’.'' The principal spoke out as he looked over the graduates and their families that sat before him and applauded his introduction, “And now… I'm proud to present your valedictorian... Gerard Way.”   
  
Even more applause and cheer rang out, the Way’s standing up to applaud their eldest son as he got up, smiling brightly, dressed in his bright blue cap and gown. He strode up from his seat in the front row and walked up into the stage.   
  
“Gerard! Whoo!” Gerard’s girlfriend, Lindsey, smiling broadly from one side of her cherry-coloured mouth to the other, her black hair in a sleek ponytail- whooped from within the crowd, also dressed in graduation attire.  
  
Gerard tucked a strand of his long black hair behind his ear as he looked out over his friends and family, “Today I would like to talk about change. It's all around us. Change. It happens whether we want it or not. Change. Are we ready for it? I think so. We are poised and prepared for the future, ready to embrace new people, places and ideas.”

He looked down to see a proud smile on his dad’s face, at the wrinkles around his hazel eyes, at his white teeth that contrasted to his salt and pepper hair. His mother beside his father beaming with proud tears in her blue eyes, her blonde hair in a perfect updo and her usual no make up despite it being such an event. Beside her was Gerard’s grandfather, her father-in-law, who was almost smiling- a large feat in itself and on the near of the Way family sat Mikey. Mikey was Gerard’s younger brother with his thick glasses, his neatly trimmed mousey hair and his surprisingly gaunt face for only being fourteen. Mikey, who was now sticking his fingers up his nose and pulling it up, his tongue out as he tried to get his older brother to mess up his speech. Grunting and blowing raspberries. The last person of their family was their farm-hand and Gerard’s dad’s right-hand man James, a large man with long shoulder length brown hair and denim overalls. Who was currently dozing off in his seat, snoring no doubt.  
  
“In short, we are ready for the challenge of life.” Gerard continued, trying his best to not screw up as he caught sight of everyone still watching him, all of his old teachers looking up at their favourite student, “Ladies and gentlemen, take a good look at us. We are the future. We are the Lincoln Tigers. Hear us roar!”

“Whoo! We did it!” Someone called from the crowd of kids as they all stood up, throwing their caps up into the air as they stood up and cheer.

“I give you the class of 1993!” The principal announced formally as Gerard hopped off of the stage to his family.

~

Gerard heard his name being called and he turned to see his father standing expectantly nearby as his mother tried to pry Mikey off of the floor and away from his GameBoy.

“Gerard!”  
  
“Michael, get up.” Donna hissed as she grabbed him by the shoulder and lifted him up off of the grass, dusting him off as Donald fought with his father about who would be taking the photo of them all together.  
  
“Why don't you let me take the picture?” Gerard’s grandfather offered.  
  
“No, no, no, Dad, I'll take it.” Donald insisted, “Don't worry about it.”  
  
“All right, okay. Do what you want.” Henry lifted his hands up in surrender.   
  
“Hold still there.” Donald smiled at his father, taking a photo of the old man in his mismatched beige suit.  
  
“Gerard!” Donna called again, “Give me that camera, Donald.”  
  
“C’mon, if we wait much longer, it will be my graduation.” Mikey whined unhappily, sighing out as he looked around at his dysfunctional family.

“Lindsey, would you please take our picture?” Donna handed the camera to her son’s girlfriend with a silent plea.  
  
“Come on!” Mikey interrupted again.”   
  
“Oh, yeah.” Lindsey smiled again despite her conversation with Gerard and a friend being cut short.  
  
“Mom, where do you want me?” Gerard asked as he walked with his mother towards the rest of his family, fiddling with the blue tie that was around his neck that he had borrowed from his dad.  
  
“Now look here, Lindsey, you ever work one of these?” Donald asked as he stepped over to Lindsey, who was fiddling with the old Kodak.  
  
“Come on, Dad!” Mikey griped as he was hustled into place by his mother.   
  
“Just a minute, please.” Donald waved his son off with his hand before turning to Lindsey again.  
  
“In my day, all ya did was push a button.” Henry mumbled.   
  
“In his day, dinosaurs roamed the Earth.” Mikey remarked, leaning into Gerard, who did his best to hide a wide grin at his grandad’s expense.  
  
“Okay, Donald,” Donna lined them up in order of Henry, Mikey, Gerard, herself and hopefully her husband if he would let a flustered looking Lindsey ever touch the camera, “We're ready.”  
  
“Look, I'm just tryin' to get a good one, damn it.” Donald replied, his voice sniped at the constant interruptions.  
  
“Mom, it's fine.” Gerard said sternly as Donna began trying to neaten her oldest son’s hair, “It will be fine.”

“All right, all right, is everybody ready?” Donald asked as he hurried into the frame with his family, standing beside his wife.  
  
“Yes!” Everyone replied in unison.  
  
“All right, everybody say 'Cheese’.” Lindsey called out as she lifted the camera up to her eye, squinting.  
  
“Cheese!” They called.

“Ah, Lindsey” Donald reached out as Henry smiled, as Mikey pulled his tie up in an appearance of himself being hung by the neck and Gerard’s hair still being animatedly fluffed by his mom, “Did you press that little thing-?”

The flash went off instantly, taking them all off guard and definitely not ready, the photo definitely not being one for the album. 


	2. Chapter 2

Gerard sat that night in his bedroom, dressed in his lengthy blue plaid pyjamas, he looked over at the photo of his family at Graduation and he smiled, turning to see his bedroom door open and his dad walk in with a small but perturbed smile on his face.

“How are ya?” Donald asked simply, walking in to lean forward on his son’s already packed trunk, “Look I’m not gonna beat around the bush here. California is a long way off just to go to school. Are you sure you don't wanna reconsider State?”

  
“No, Dad. You know I wanna do this.” Gerard reassured, sitting perched on the end of his bed.

“Yeah. Oh. Gerard, son. I- I'm not sure that I've… Really prepared you for what you're gonna run into out there,” Donald began and Gerard internally began to flail, his eyes widening somewhat, “What I mean is… The girls are different than they are here. They, um, uh- W-Wh-What I'm tryin' to say is that the- Well, the lifestyle's a lot faster.”

“Are you tryin' to tell me not to have sex, Dad?” Gerard asked with a polite smile, watching the panic rise on his father’s face at the mention of the word.

“Huh?”

“Dad,” Gerard smiled as he got up and off of his bed, walking over to his dad, “I'll be fine. You know me.”

Gerard gave his dad’s shoulder’s a squeeze, smiling up at him as Donald laughed softly.

  
“Well, it's, uh- It's pretty late. Uh, guess we'll get a little shut-eye, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.” Donald walked over to the door as Gerard looked quickly at the window, hearing a tap on the glass, “Good night.”

“Good night.” Gerard replied as his dad walked out, still smiling, and closed the door behind him. Gerard waited with baited breath, hearing the door click closed before he ran over to the window and opened the gossamer curtain to see Lindsey standing outside in the dark, leaning against her father’s pick-up truck, waving Gerard over.

Gerard smiled brightly, turning from the window to unbutton his pyjama top and pull down his pants, a full set of clothes hidden underneath. He looked at himself in the mirror, tucking his hair behind his ears, dressed in a pair of simple dark wash jeans and a green plaid shirt. He pulled his shoes on over his socks and ran over to the window, opening it slowly.

He climbed out of the window carefully, looking down at the ground that was far too low. He walked along the sloped roof beneath him before cautiously climbing down the sidling creeper that hugged the wall on the far side of the house.

He jumped down onto the dewy grass and took off running towards Lindsey, hopping over the fence and pulling her into his arms, smiling widely.

They took each other in hand and began running, running together towards the nearby barn on Gerard’s family farm. They snuck into the large wooden building, sliding the door closed behind them when Gerard’s lips were on Lindsey’s in a kiss.

They stumbled back through the hay-flecked barn and into one of the stables, their lips still in a lusted tangle as Gerard put Lindsey up against one of the hay bales. They kissed heatedly, slowly as his hands held her curved hips, squeezing as he stepped between her legs.

It wasn’t a new thing for the couple to sneak out at night, in fact, they had become accustomed to doing it at least three nights a week ever since they had started dating four years prior. They would spend hours in the barn together, necking and touching and kissing like teenagers.

And there they were, moments later on the barn floor, laying in the hay with Gerard nestled beside Lindsey, a hand in her hair when she slowly tested the waters, unbuttoning Gerard’s pants.

He halted, his hand on hers as a flurry of nerves washed through him, “Lindsey?”

“What?”

“Slow down.” Gerard frowned, looking down at her hand as he pulled away from her lips, letting out a soft pant.

“Why?”

  
“'Cause I- I want it to be right.” She frowned as he sat up a bit, looking at her.

“Well, when's it gonna be right? You're leaving tomorrow.” She urged as Gerard stroked her hand in his.

  
“You act like it's forever.” Gerard scoffed lightly.

“Well, I'm not gonna see you for three months.” Lindsey sighed, “What if everything changes?”

“Nothing is going to change.” Gerard reassured, playing with one of her hands as he smiled down at her sweetly, “I'll go to school, you'll work at the shop… And we'll see each other every single vacation. And when I'm done, we'll be together.”

“Promise?” Lindsey asked, raising her eyebrows as she wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him in slowly.

“Promise.” Gerard whispered in return as he let his girlfriend lead him closer

“Okay. I guess I can wait.” Lindsey smiled brightly.

“Now... where were we?” Gerard asked as he leaned in, caressing her bottom lip with his finger before he replaced with his lips, kissing her again, pulling her even closer. His eyes remained open as he looked at her, the small pit of worry in his stomach that this was his forever. He pushed it aside, forcing the thought from his mind, realising that despite everything he had said, he didn’t want Lindsey to realise that one of the reasons he didn’t want her in his pants was because he didn’t think of her that way, that nothing she did got him hot and bothered and he was just too comfortable now. Gerard was resigned to the comfort of his long term relationship and he knew it was a phase he would just have to grow out of.

~

“That's no way to pack a truck, Junior. These bags should be back there.” Henry spoke as he walked up to his son, Donald, who was packing Gerard’s things into the back of his red Chevy pick-up.

“Oh, come on, Dad. l know what I'm doin'.” Donald urged as Donna walked out of the front gate with Mikey running up behind her, jogging from the door to the gate, dressed in his usual blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt, his trainers mud-flecked and old.

“All right, all right. But don't come cryin' to me when my grandson's clothes are scattered all up and down the highway.”

“Watch your hands.” Donald merely ignored his father as he closed the flatbed door, watching his wife and youngest son climb into the truck.

“Michael, where's your brother?”

“What? I don't know. Maybe he's still in the barn with-” Mikey slammed the door closed, clearing his throat at the exact moment of implied guilt, almost but not quite outing his brother’s rebellious frivolity.

“Michael.” Donna turned and scowled at her son from the passenger seat, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears.

“What?” Mikey asked with feigning surprise, shrugging at his mother as she raised her eyebrow in disapproval.

“Gerard! Let's go!” Donald called up to the house where he figured his son was still residing.

“Just a minute.” Gerard called from his post in his old tree house. You could call it a tree house but it was more like a small turret that had been built for him when he was younger and now it was just like an extension of his bedroom away from the house, climbing a set of stairs to get to the top of it.

  
“Let’s go!” Donald called out impatiently at his son, his hands sitting on his hips as his father continued to try and rearrange the luggage.

“Okay!” Gerard yelled back as he closed the window, looking around the small room that he had filled with prized possessions and favourite memories. He felt himself on the verge of tears at the thought of leaving despite the rage of excitement in his stomach. He looked at himself in the mirror, at his new light-wash jeans and his favourite old purple flannel. He hoped he looked okay, he turned and tucked a strand of his long black hair behind his ear, nibbling on his lip.

This was it, he thought to himself as he turned, looking around one last time at all of his things. Then he noticed it, caught sight of the one thing he couldn’t leave behind. The wooden horse figurine that his grandfather had whittled for him. He grabbed it, taking it with him as he descended the stairs and ran out of the turret towards his family...

He climbed into the back of the truck beside his brother and turned to see his granddad standing by the gate, waving and smiling proudly and he put his horse figurine up on the top of the chair for Henry to see, smiling back.

“Learn a lot, Shortcake!” Henry called, kissing his thumb and holding it up for his grandson, who did the same, pressing his thumb up to the rear window of the truck’s cab. A special token of affection between them that they had kept since Gerard was about four years old.

“How long 'til we get there?” Mikey already asked despite them not even having left the farm yet, looking up from his GameBoy.

“Two days, Michael, so you might as well relax.” Donna replied as she pulled out her knitting from her bag, plopping the pastel pink woollen mess in her lap.

“Shit.” Mikey whispered softly as Gerard stuck his head out of the window, catching one more glance at his home.

“What did you say?” Donna turned and looked at her son, eyeing him ruefully.

“I said, 'shoot’.''

"Hmm, Donald, isn't that the long way?” Donna asked, ignoring her son’s remark, as Donald turned off of the farm and onto the main road.

  
“You wanna drive?” Donald turned and eyed her and she merely raised her hands in surrender.

“I'm sorry. I'm trying to help.”

“Next stop, sunny California.” Mikey smiled sarcastically, looking out of the window at the passing fields on the side of the road as Gerard looked at the farm, looking at the house, suddenly feeling as though he were flying. He was actually doing this, he was finally doing something he had wanted to do for himself and the idea was thrilling.

 


	3. Chapter 3

The sky was a bright blue above them, the road lined with lazy palm trees and students everywhere. Gerard looked around, rolling his window down as a voice sounded over the P.A system.

“All freshman must report for registration by 6p.m. If you don't register you don't exist.”

“Quit it, you little-” Gerard shoved his brother’s chair in front of him, Donna and Mikey having changes seats to let the youngest member of the family ride shotgun considering his lack of behaviour. The only issue now was that he continued to push his seat back and forth, hitting Gerard’s shins over and over.

“I don't have to.”

Gerard let out a sighed scoff, folding his arms tightly over his chest as Donna reassuringly put a hand on her son’s leg and gave it a squeeze, “Fine, l'm ignoring you now.”

“If you kids don't shut up, I'm gonna turn this car around. We're gonna go right back home.” Donald warned sternly as they drove through students towards the building, searching for parking.

“You don't have to freak, Dad.” Mikey stuck his head out of the window at a group of students, “Speaking of freaks, hey, how ya doin' ?” He chuckled at his hilarious joke, waving at the older kids as Gerard went pink.

“Look at that idiot.” Donald stated outright as he spotted a guy walking in front of the car dressed in all black with red hair down to his shoulders.

“Great school, Gerard. You need a lobotomy to get in here?” Mikey asked jokingly, openly mocking, as he spied some of the other kids, earning a smack to the back of the head from his brother.

“Shut up!” Gerard spat indignantly

“Don't say shut up.” Donna scolded her eldest son, sitting him back in his seat as she gave him a warning glance.

They finally found a parking space near the front of Gerard’s dorm, pulling into it as they all climbed out. Gerard rearranged himself, thankful that they had stopped over for the night and he didn’t stink like cab sweat and old soft drinks. Mikey climbed out and walked around, dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a pale yellow t-shirt sporting the phrase “seduce me please” in black print on the front.

“Is that necessary?” Gerard griped at his brother, noticing how some of the other students were already looking at the teenager.

“Totally.” Mikey wiggled his eyebrows, “It’s for the babes.”

“God…” Gerard groaned unhappily as his father began to offload the luggage, his mother taking some of the bags. Gerard walked a few paces behind his family through the throng of people, a hand up to shield his face just in case.

“Coming through!” Donna yelled as she pushed her way through the kids with her husband and Mikey lugging Gerard’s trunk behind her. They all walked through the hallway, a sudden line appearing as people filed in to find their dorm, “Oh, my God. We're never gonna get through here.”

“Michael, come on.” Donald grunted as he turned to his son, lifting the trunk up that Mikey was slowly dropping.

“Mikey, do your share.” Gerard elbowed his brother, his arms filled with two large boxes or he would have punched him.

“I'm not a bellboy!” Mikey yelled, dropping his side of the trunk as Donna pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance and Donald let out a huff as he stumbled back.

“Hey, pick up the trunk!” Donald yelled through gritted teeth, his eyes set in a firm gaze at his youngest son.

“Mom-” Mikey whined unhappily, gesturing to his dad.

“Donald, don't you yell at him in public!” Donna whispered at her husband before turning to Mikey, “It’s alright, your father's a little out of his element.” Donna shoved the bag in her hands at Donald.

“Can we just go to my room?” Gerard asked, his cheeks bright pink as he tried to ignore the people now looking at the scene his family had created, shifting the boxes in his arms as they started to ache.

“I'll take the trunk.” Donna said pointedly to her husband as she shoved her husband out of the way and began dragging it towards the door.

“Donna!” Donald was about to go after her when he looked at the suitcase in his hands, shoving it at Mikey, “You take this or you're not going to Disneyland.”

“What?!” Mikey asked in outrage at his father as he fumbled with the large suitcase suddenly thrust upon him

“Wait a minute, will ya? Wait a minute!” Donald ambled after his wife as she dragged the suitcase up the stairs in her calf-length dress and sandals.

“I can do it.” Donna huffed heatedly as her husband tried to grab the case, Mikey shuffling behind them with the enormous carpet-linen suitcase. Gerard stood there for a second, letting them pass before he walked off in the same direction, boxes lifted up to hide his face.

They walked into the right hallway of the building and were suddenly hit by a loud wave of heavy metal music.

“Go faster!” Gerard insisted, shuffling the boxes in his arms as he lagged behind his brother.

“Shut up! Stop pushing me!”

“You shut up.” Gerard shot back, scowling at his brother as Donna opened the door into the dorm hallway that was lined with students.

“Hey, hey, hey, come on now.” Donald warned.

“Stop fighting, please!” Donna yelled back at her kids before she turned, gasping at the heaviness of the trunk that she and Donald were carrying, pushing passed a professor, pushing him into a room when a man walked by them all in a towel, eyeing Donna up and down with a devilish smirk.

Another guy ran by, snatching the towel from around the tattooed boy’s waist and kept running. Donna gasped, looking away as the long-haired student merely kept walking.

“Excuse me, dude.” He nudged passed Donald, who looked appalled, everyone unaware of the wide grin on Gerard’s face that he was trying to hide

“Goddamn!” Donald let out, looking at his wife with disapproval.” Donald saw his son peering into the bedroom where the naked student had disappeared and he nudged him, “Gerard, come on. Let's just keep movin', everybody. Come on. This is the, uh, opportunity that you wanted for your son?” He asked his wife pointedly, gesturing back to the naked guy as Gerard walked up in front of them, leading the way as he tried to calm his flustering, avoiding his mother’s eye contact.

“This is it.” Gerard smiled, seeing number 408 on the door and he nudged the door to his dorm room open and walked in. The room was small but definitely large enough to share. On either side was a bed, a large table between the beds in front of a window, each side of the table had a lamp, at the foot of the bed each had a desk, a shelf above it and a small wardrobe. The walls were white, beds grey, but Gerard knew he could make it feel like home. He noted the other side of his room was already decorated and decked out in soft pastels.

“Go!”

“Shut up!” Gerard hissed as Mikey pushed him into the room, “Mikey, okay, that's it. God!”

Mikey wheeled the suitcase in and threw one of the boxes to the bed haphazardly, having it miss completely before it fell to the floor, “Mikey, be care- Oh! Mom!”

“Oh, here they are.” Donna sighed as she walked into the room to see her sons bickering.

“At least he's gonna be across the hall from somebody who's in charge.” Donald muttered as he looked at the door across from his son’s room, looking at the sign that read “resident advisor” in black on the front of it.

“Sensible white cotton briefs, Gerard. Must be a real thrill seeker.” Mikey mocked as he picked up his brother’s underwear from the suitcase and held them up with his fingersbefore Gerard pushed him and grabbed his underwear with an annoyed scoff

“Mikey.” Gerard slapped his brother’s hand away.

“Would you just stop it, both of you!”

“Michael!”

“Stop it!” Donna yelled.

“Hey, hey.” Donald eyed his youngest son who immediately stopped, looking around aimlessly.

“Oh, honey, look how wrinkled everything is.” Donna bent down and examined her son’s suitcase.

“Now this is underwear.” Mikey reappeared with a red lace thong in his hands after having dug in Gerard’s roommate’s drawers while Donna refolded everything.

”Mikey!” Gerard groaned, grabbing the underwear from his brother and closing the drawer after putting the thong back in it's rightful place, “Stay out of her drawer.”

“Oh, Michael, can you gimme the key, please?” Donald interrupted

“I don't have it.” Mikey merely shrugged at his father as he continued fiddling through the roommate’s drawer.

“What do you mean? I told you to bring it. Damn it, Michael, I swear, I think your brain produces a chemical that blocks out my voice.”

“Excuse me, I can't hear you.” Mikey said simply as he pulled a bra out and over his ears. Eliciting a sigh from his father.

“Stop it!” Gerard grabbed the bra from his brother when a girl walked in, dressed in a yellow and green plaid skirt and a short sleeve polo neck sweater, her red curls pushed back behind a band.

“Hi. I'm Carol. I'm your new roommate.” She smiled, waving awkwardly with both hands at the family.

“Roommate. Hi.” Donna intercepted her son’s greeting, barging in to shake Carol’s hand suddenly, “l know you two are just gonna be the best of friends.” Donna beamed at Carol and at her son, who went slightly pink in the face as Carol smiled politely.

“Mom.”

“Well, I'll leave you two to get acquainted.” Donna gave her son’s shoulder a pat before turning and walking back to the suitcase.

“Ah!” Mikey sighed sarcastically, feigning delight as he stood between the two roommates, his hands clasped to his heart, looking between them.

“Hi, I'm Gerard. I, uh-” Gerard held out his hand, faltering as he realised that he was still holding Carol’s bra, the other hand pushing Mikey out of the way as he stepped closer to Carol, giving her an apologetic glance, “l think there's some law that says your family's supposed to embarrass you on the first day of school.” Carol took her bra as Mikey rested his head on Gerard’s shoulder, eyeing Carol with even more girlish mocking and eyelash batting.

“I think it's Murphy's.” Mikey muttered, earning a shoulder jerk to the chin that pushed him off and he scoffed unhappily before disappearing.

“I'm sorry.”

“My family's the same way.” Carol smiled understandingly.

“Hey, Carol, phone!” Someone called from the hallway and Carol turned to look before looking at Gerard with a sigh.

“Ah, communal living. Excuse me.” She waved everyone off before walking out of the room.

“Oh, bye-bye.” Gerard smiled slightly.

“What a nice girl.” Donna commented as she continued folding her son’s clothing.

“So guess that's it, huh?” Gerard turned, asking hopefully, looking at his mother with his hands clasped in front of him, trying not to seem too eager.

“Nope, nope. I gotta find a screwdriver so I can get this trunk open for ya.” Donald interjected as he stood up from examining the large trunk, sighing as he scratched his eyebrow, his oldest son letting out a sigh.

Donald walked across the hallway to the R.A’s door, cringing slightly at the loud heavy metal music that was still blaring over the indistinct chatter of the students, parents and select few professors that came to oversee.

He waited patiently, knocking a second time on the door, “Hello? Hello?”

After a couple moments of silence, Donald let out a sigh and opened the door, jumping in fright at the heavy punk metal that was blaring even louder from inside the room. He was met with the smell of take out and cologne and most likely old socks. The room was like organised chaos, covered in posters and stickers and figurines, an array of lava lamps on the desk beside an old computer where the name “Ghoul” bounced lazily. The middle end of the room was taken up not by a bed but by a white thread hammock filled with cushions and blankets.

“Hello?” Donald stepped further into the room and looked around, “Hello? Anybody home?”

“Hello!” A voice greeted before a man came down upside down from the ceiling, making Donald yelp and jump back in fright against the door. The man chuckled mischievously, “Hey!”

“Hey!” Donald sighed, flustered, as the student continued to laugh, looking at the older man upside down, “Oh, uh, sorry.l need a, uh, screwdriver.”

“Ah, I'm sorry. I'm all out of vodka.” The guy chuckled as his black fauxhawk flopped down from his face, hanging against him from the gravity as he continued to hang upside down from the exercise bar, a light gleen of sweat to his skin from when he had most likely been exercising.

“Oh, no, no, no. I-I-I need to borrow a real screwdriver... uh, to open my... uh, uh, my, uh son's trunk.” Donald stammered, gesturing across the hall with his thumb, still in shock at the sight of this man in front of him, covered in tattoos, shirtless and restrained to a bar from the ceiling by foot cuffs, dressed in a pair of bright luminescent green shorts and slipper boots that were shaped like moose heads- antlers and all- with bright red socks peeking out from inside.

“Oh,” The student trailed off with a giggle, lifting his hands up and crooking his fingers in a childish motion at Donald, “You have a son.” He chuckled giddily, “Ha! Is he hot?”

“What?” Donald sputtered in shock.

“Don't worry. I'll keep a special eye on him for ya,” He winked before holding out his hand, still upside down, “My name's Ghoul.”

“Oh, uh-” Donald held out his hand, gasping slightly when Ghoul wiggled his fingers at him.

“Ha!” Ghoul grinned happily, clicking his tongue at Donald, giving him a short set of finger guns, “And l'm the resident advisor.”

“Aw, shit.” Donald backed up to the door and opened it.

“What? Hey, wait. Come back!” Ghoul laughed loudly, grinning as he held his hand out to Donald.

“Aw, shit!” Donald repeated as he ambled out of the room.

“Don't leave me hangin'!” Ghoul yelled after the older man, watching him go as he chuckled oafishly, wiggling his toes in his booties.

“I'm not gonna have my son livin' across the hall from that, uh, that, that thing over there!” Donald stated firmly as he reappeared in Gerard’s room, still flustered as all hell.

“Who?” Gerard asked, sitting on his bed with Mikey, looking surprised at his dad’s clear shock.

“I told you I didn’t like this dorm business, I didn’t like this California nonsense!”

“Calm down, Donald.” Donna sighed as her husband leaned against the closed door, her oldest son openly rolling his eyes, his mouth hanging open.

The door suddenly opened, making Donald jump in fright and stumble aside as Carol walked in with a girl behind her.

“Gerard, hi. Everyone, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend Lisa.” Carol announced, beaming brightly as the taller girl with the straight blonde hair and thickened, dark eyebrows and freckles smiled slightly.

“Hi.” Lisa waved, Carol’s bra in her hand as the Way family all muttered a ‘hi’ in unison. Lisa looked at the bra, her cheeks tinting as Gerard stifled a small giggle at her expense.

“Nice to meet you.” Gerard took a step forward as Lisa put Carol’s bra away, “I’m really sorry about that. Aren’t you, Michael?”

“Speak for yourself.” Mikey sat up slightly higher, peering over from his Gameboy at the two girls as Donna and Donald smiled at the couple in the doorway.

“Well, I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.” Lisa said simply, looking at them all with her hands clasped in front of her politely, only then did Gerard notice that she was wearing an olive green button-down, a muted-colour waistcoat and a beige skirt.

“Yeah.” Gerard nodded eagerly.

“And I’ll see you next weekend.” Lisa said as she turned to Carol, leaning in to kiss her tenderly. Not two seconds later was Mikey throwing his game aside and sitting up straighter as everyone else stared in shock at the sudden affection, not really sure what to do or say in the moment as the two girls locked lips.

The smiles wiped off of both Donna and Donald’s faces as Gerard’s hand slowly came up to his mouth in surprise. Carol wrapped her arm around Lisa’s neck as the kiss deepened for an intensely long second.

Mikey slowly got up as Gerard turned to look at him, the younger boy’s jaw almost on the floor as he pushed his glasses up on his nose, “Oh, Dad. Dad do you have your camera handy?” He whispered, waving his hand at his father as his eyes stayed glued to the lesbians in the doorway.

It was moments later after Lisa had left and Carol had gone somewhere’s unknown, bidding the family goodbye, that Donald turned and looked at his son, “Well, we’re about to head on home. Right, Donna?”

“Yes. Michael, are you ready to go?”

“Been ready for an hour.” Mikey muttered softly under his breath as he got up from Gerard’s unmade bed.

“Now you just remember… If you don’t like this damn place, you can go to State.” Donald repeated as Donna herded her youngest son towards the door, sighing.

“He’s gonna love it, Donald. Aren’t you, dear?” Donna turned to her son, hands still on Mikey’s shoulders in a firm grip.

“You guys, I’ll be fine.” Gerard sighed out happily, on the verge of tears.

“Stay out of trouble, okay?” Mikey added in.

“I will, as long as you stay out of my room.”

“Oh, and give your roommate a big kiss for me,” Mikey whispered seductively, “In the shower…” He unceremoniously and pervertedly waggled his tongue out at his brother, who let out a scoff, pushing his brother’s head, shoving him out of the door before saying goodbye to his parents.

He stood in the doorway, watching them leave when he heard a voice calling out over a megaphone and he turned to see a man with a black fauxhawk and bleached sides dressed in an open red and black silk robe, a video camera around his neck and in a pair of shorts, standing on a box beside the phones.

“Let’s just get the rules straight here,” He began, “There will be absolutely no partying in this hall between the hours of five and six in the morning without my expressed written permission. Okay, cool. Carry on.”

Gerard rolled his eyes at the man and walked passed him back to his room as the guy dropped his megaphone and hopped off of the box. Gerard noted the guy walking behind him but he carried on, walking to his room.

“I’m a carnivore and I smell fresh meat, oh.” The guy muttered as he lifted his video camera up, stalking behind his newest dorm member. Ghoul lifted the camera up to a friend of his that walked the other way, pulling a face as they both laughed before Ghoul continued following the fresh-faced boy.

Gerard walked into his room to continue unpacking, grabbing his horse figurine, kissing his thumb and pressing it to the horse’s snout before he set the small wooden statue on the shelf above his desk.

“Pappy…” He sighed, thinking back to his grandad with a fond smile.

Ghoul appeared in the doorway, finding his prey once more, lifting the camera up, “Undiscovered country…” He muttered, the camera roving up Gerard’s body as he walked into the room, watching Gerard put up a photo on the shelf, Moving in for the close-up… Show me love!” He stated loudly and Gerard turned, stepping back in surprise, his mouth agape at the stranger in his room.

“And cut.” Ghoul chuckled, closing the lens, letting the camera hang from his neck, gesturing with his hands, “You have got charisma!”

He did a small spin on the spot before pulling out a small tool in his hands, leaning against her chest of drawers with a charming smile.

“What is that?” Gerard looked at the tool in Ghoul’s hand.

“It’s a special quality of leadership that captures the popular imagination and inspires allegiance and devotion.” Ghoul replied matter-of-factly as he opened the multi-tool up slowly.

“I mean the thing in your hand.” Gerard replied softly with a smile, leaning back against the footframe of his bed, looking at the stranger in the red floral silken kimono and all of the beads around his neck and all of the tattoos on his body.

“It’s a tool.” Ghoul smiled, “It’s for your trunk.”

Gerard stepped back as Ghoul walked up to the trunk and slipped the end of the sharp object under the heavy closing clasp, snapping it open with ease and a loud bang.

“Oh.” Gerard jumped, blinking, “Thanks.”

“My name’s Ghoul. I’m the R.A.” He gestured back to his room, “And you’re, uh…”

“W-W-Wait don’t tell me. Steven? James?...Monica?” He chuckled at the last one, an obnoxious guffaw that could be contagious if you were around it long enough.

“Gerard.”

“Oh. Ge-rard.” He nodded, adding an inflexion pause to the middle of Gerard’s name, “I like it.”

“Thanks…” Gerard whispered as he turned to his open suitcase.

“So where ya from?”

“Uh, South Dakota.” Gerard swallowed as he folded a t-shirt.

“Fresh off the farm. Oh, my God, I can’t believe it. Right across the hallway. Hallelujah.” He laid on a thick Southern accent on the last word, gesturing with his hands, doing a small hip thrust before he turned to Gerard, “So, you’re inbred?”

“Excuse me?” Gerard had had the last straw then, despite his polite tone that was maybe a bit too sweet but he was completely offended, turning to look at Ghoul.

“You know, where your mom’s your dad and your dad’s your brother.” Ghoul chuckled again, nodding at Gerard as though it were true.

“No, I am not inbred.” Gerard replied indignantly, throwing his t-shirt down before he picked up his notebook and pens before he turned and began walking to the door.

“Hmm. Prime USDA choice teriya-ki.” Ghoul muttered as he turned with Gerard, watching him go. Following him to the door when Gerard stopped, pressed against the door with Ghoul a step too close.

“I have to go to orientation.” Gerard gestured down the hall weakly, looking at Ghoul, feeling butterflies and flustered annoyance in his stomach.

“Well, if you need anything, I’ll be-” Ghoul pointed to his room and looked at it when a girl walked passed and waved at him seductively, cutting him off mid-sentence, “Ooh, hey, charisma.”

Gerard watched him lift up his video camera and slowly walk out of the room, following the girl slowly. Gerard sighed out in relief as Ghoul swayed into the hall.

“It’s a special quality of leadership that captures popular imagination and inspires allegiance…” He trailed off as Gerard closed his door and walked down the hallway in the opposite direction.


	4. Chapter 4

2 Days Later

Gerard stood in the hallway of his dorm, leaning against the wall as the receiver of one of the phones rang in his ear. He was dressed snugly in an old button down olive flannel, a baggy cardigan and slacks, his go-to outfit as of late despite how badly he stood out. He waited patiently for Lindsey to answer. On the other side of the world, Lindsey's shop office was in the dark, the family-owned establishment having closed way earlier despite the teenager still being there.

She jumped when she heard the phone ringing, scrambling off of the sofa from where she had been sat.

"Damn it, Chantal." She muttered softly to herself as she shrugged on her jacket and went for the phone, "I said I'd be right there."

"Lindsey?" Gerard asked in excitement at the sound of his girlfriend's voice, almost jumping on the spot.

"Gerard, hi?" Lindsey sounded surprised.

"Hi."

"Hey, I was just closin' up. So, uh, how's life in the big city?" Lindsey asked as she switched the desk lamp on in front of her, fixing her jacket as she smiled happily.

Gerard laughed, a forced sound that would have ended in tears if he had continued for a second longer, "Everything's fine. I miss you."

"Oh, same here." Lindsey sighed as Gerard gave a small sniff, the former turning in the office to a small mirror where she applied a coat of red lipstick, "Hey, it'll be Thanksgiving soon."

"Oh, can't wait." Gerard squeezed his eyes shut forcing back both tears and the ache in his chest.

"Yeah, me either. So, how's everything else goin'?"

Gerard opened his eyes, sniffing as he looked up at the white ceiling before he shrugged, gesturing with his hand, "Oh, I don't know, it's really weird."

He turned to see two girls sitting on the hallway floor grinning at him, no doubt giggling at his strange clothing as some of the other students unpacked kegs and alcohol for a party that was happening later that night.

"Well, that's California for ya."

"Yeah, I guess." Gerard's voice broke a second time, cracking at the end as his eyes pricked.

"I tried to tell ya." Lindsey applied a second coat of lipstick before pocketing it, the phone resting on her shoulder.

"I know." Gerard whined slightly, definitely not in the mood for a lecture, especially not from the one person he missed most, the person he hadn't been without for four years, the person he longed to just hold and not let go.

"Because of the success of last year's 'Let the Grunions Live' march, we're announcing the formation of the 'Save the Veal' Committee."

Gerard had walked across the campus after his phone call with Lindsey, letting her go because despite it being two hours ahead in South Dakota, the sun had set there and all Gerard wanted now was to be outside and watch it set. He sat himself down under a large tree with his textbooks and looked around when he spotted Ghoul perched on a table a few feet away where people were lined up and signing up for God knows what this time.

He was eating some sort of sandwich with a can of soda in the other hand, he was dressed in a tight pair of black stretchy shorts and a skimpy hot pink sweater, a black and pink striped sleeper beanie perched on his head and dirty white sneakers on his feet with green socks.

"Now you gotta make Mommy and Daddy proud, right? They sent you here." Ghoul commented to one kid who was signing up, a tall guy with flick back hair and a brown suede jacket and thick glasses. The guy moved on when a blonde girl stepped up in a see-through white long-sleeve and beige baggy trousers, "Hmm. Blondie, what's up?"

"Shut up, dick!" She yelled, hitting him on the arm violently as he yelped and ducked backwards, swatting at her as he swapped his can of Coke to the other hand.

"Ow!" He whined angrily at her, frowning as she walked off- ort stormed off, "Jeez!"

  
"They need our help. The organizing committee will be meeting tonight at the student union at 7:30. Tofu scallopini will be served." The P.A system continued as Ghoul noticed Gerard under the trees, the younger boy reading from his textbook. Ghoul shook his head in disapproval, chewing on his sandwich.

Ghoul felt an arm around his shoulders suddenly, "What's up, dick?" He turned to see a girl with short bright red and unkempt dreads and piercings all over her, chains draped from piercing to piercing and he screamed out in horror, a long and unnecessary scream of disdain, and leapt off of the table and away from her as she laughed openly and turned, signing up for the petition.

  
~

  
Later that night and the dorm costume party was already in full swing with students in a vast array of outfits running around, heavy metal blaring through the corridors as people drank and kissed and messed around. A man in a gorilla suit chasing girls down the corridor, including a Tinkerbell and a scantily-dressed angel.

Ghoul came around the corner with his arm around a blonde girl dressed like a jungle cat, the man himself dressed as Carmen Miranda, a huge basket of fruit on his head, a fruit-arranged bra on his chest and a pair of shorts under an even shorter skirt. His ears dangled with grapes, his face done up in makeup and even a pair of heels donned his feet, his legs in bright red stockings. And the beer bong funnel in his hand

"'Cause we're gonna have to get the beer for the beer bong." Ghoul crooned in an accent as he slowly pushed the girl into a room, hearing her 'meow' as she walked into the crowd, "Oh, you frisky little thing."

She let out another drunken meow as he blew her a kiss, grunting as he laughed softly, walking up to one of the students who was standing in the middle of the room in a Hawaiian shirt with the messiest hair, looking totally confused.

"Great costume!" Ghoul exclaimed at the stoner, who eyed him up and down for a moment before reaching up and taking a plastic frog off of Ghoul's fruit basket headpiece, sniffing it gingerly. Ghoul watched in surprise as the guy whipped out a lighter, held it under the frog for a moment before he bit into it and walked off.

"Ew, gross!" A nearby girl exclaimed. Having caught the whole thing.

Ghoul watched him go, in awe, before he shook his head in disgust, "Yuck. No."

Walking down the same corridor of the dorm was Gerard, dressed in his usual clothing with a basket of laundry freshly folded in his arms, dodging and ducking through drunken peers when out of nowhere he was rushed into by a sheriff that was being chased by a native American.

"Whoa, I'm sorry, good sir." The sheriff put his hand on Gerard's shoulder as he apologised, "Great costume."

"Thanks." Gerard muttered to himself, sighing when the Indian stopped him a second later.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, I got it. You're a hick washer boy." He nodded understandingly, chuckling as Gerard laughed out loud, forcing the sound out to cover the ache of the insult as he pushed passed towards his room.

"Excuse me." Gerard muttered as he narrowly dodged a girl dressed as a beermaid.

He walked to his room, finding the door open and suddenly full of students. He swore internally as he looked at them all dancing and chattering amongst themselves. Including his roommate Carol and her girlfriend, Lisa who were also in costume with Carol as Little Bo Peep and Lisa dressed as both a man and a woman, a tuxedo on one half of her and a bright pink dress on the other, a thick line running down her middle.

Gerard pursed his lips, dropping his laundry basket pointedly on the floor, the loud sound making everyone jump and look at him.

"Sorry, Gee. Uh, just sorta happened. Want a beer?" Carol offered her roommate a red solo cup.

"Oh, no, thanks." Gerard shook his head, turning slightly when he saw it, his horse figurine squashed and broken under the weight of a hefty man dressed as a girl. His entire stomach sank, his heart compressing in his chest as tears filled his eyes, he rushed over and pulled at the guy's arm, "Get up. Get up!"

"Uh-oh." A girl murmured nearby.

  
"What? What?" Another asked.

"Oh, man." Someone whispered as Gerard lifted the figurine up to inspect it, a leg entirely snapped off and the tail in shards.

"Oh, it's his- It's like a little horsey thing." Someone replied nonchalantly as Gerard tried not to cry in front of the dozen people in his tiny room, some even having the audacity to sit on his bed.

"Gerard, I-" Carol began but Gerard had had enough.

"Forget this." he sniffed as he set the horse down on his shelf and walked to the door.

  
"Sorry about that." The large man offered but Gerard lifted his hand in reply, walking out into the hallway, walking through the people to the phone, not realising that Ghoul was behind him, standing- or dancing- in the doorway of his own room.

"Hey, Ge-" He started when Gerard didn't look at him and kept walking, "-rard. What's up." Ghoul asked in his usual manner as he followed the younger boy to the phones.  
"I'm leaving." Gerard stated simply as he put the receiver to his ear and began dialling his parent's number.

  
"Do you know of a better party than this?" Ghoul crooned in a heavy Spanish accent, lifting up the cups of his bra in a playful manner.

"No, I'm leaving school. I'm, I'm going home." Gerard sniffed.

"Uhhhhh, nope!" Ghoul put his hands down on the receiver's trigger, ending the call, making a buzzing sound for effect.

Gerard stared at him incredulously, jaw hanging open, "What are you doing, Ghoul?"

"I'm saving you from a major mistake." Ghoul replied simply, gesturing for Gerard to 'slow' with his hands.

"Ghoul, just leave me alone." Gerard tried his best stern voice but Ghoul kept his finger on the phone's dial trigger.

"Gimme five minutes, all right? And if you don't like what I got to say, then you can make your call. Just five minutes." Ghoul pleaded and Gerard looked him over, shaking his leg impatiently before he hung up the phone.

They walked into Ghoul's room, the latter's hands on Gerard's waist as he steered him the right way, "Right in here."

"Oh, I don't want to go in there." Gerard tried to turn but Ghoul was blocking the door. He turned the volume on his stereo down, silencing the rap music when everyone turned to look at them. Gerard folded his arms awkwardly, looking them over as a blush settled on his cheeks.

"Hey, hey, everybody out. The party's o-ver." Ghoul announced softly, hearing everyone groan in response as he stepped aside, making space for them to leave, the tone in his voice was suggestive and it made Gerard blush and smile, looking down.

"Man, we were just havin' fun, you know?" A guy dressed as cupid sighed, taking a sip of alcohol despite the beer that was tucked into the top of his leotard.

"See ya tomorrow, huh?" Ghoul patted the head of a dark-skinned man, who turned and looked at him incredulously.

"Clip our wings, why don't ya?" The cupid muttered as they filed out.

"Yeah, okay, get out. Goldilocks naked, two doors down. Bye." Ghoul stated as he herded them out and closed the door, turning to see Gerard standing there awkwardly, his white t-shirt glowing under the blacklight that was on and he sighed, leaning against his door, "Let me guess. You miss your mom, dad, boyfriend... dog. Basically everything you can think of back at home, right?"

Gerard laughed softly his back to Ghoul before he turned, "How do you know that?"

  
"Here. Look at this." Ghoul said in a whisper as he waddled over awkwardly in his heels, pulling his wallet out of his bra and a photo out of the wallet, handing it to Gerard.

Gerard let out a small laugh as he looked at the photo of a guy who vaguely resembled Ghoul, "That's you? No."

The black and white picture had a kid in it who was miles chubbier, his hair in a short bowl cut except for the slicked down straight fringe across his forehead and the white polo neck that stuck up to his chin. And the thin framed pair of glasses that he was wearing to boot.

"Freshman year." Ghoul commented.

"Oh, my God. You were such a nerd." Gerard laughed, his hand up to his mouth when he looked up to see Ghoul's bashful expression, hands wringing in front of him, "I mean- I'm sorry."

"Oh. That's Frank."

"What happened?" Gerard asked, still in awe and surprise at the photo.

"Sit down. I'll tell you a little story." Ghoul shuffled forward slightly as Gerard looked back at the hammock before carefully sitting himself down in it, "Gee, I tossed the spectacles. Grew the do, guzzled some brew. This is college, man. I mean, look at it. This is supposed to be the best years of our lives."

"How many years have you been here?" Gerard raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly at Ghoul's enthusiasm.

"Six." Ghoul sighed out heavily, "But, hey, it's cool. I've majored in almost everything." He chuckled as Gerard raised his eyebrows, "Okay, um, I don't know what I wanna be yet, but right now I'm havin' fun."

  
"Ghoul, I really appreciate what you're doing," Gerard began as he got up, "But, I just- I don't fit in here." Gerard gestured to the room around him before clasping his hands, sounding dejected and tired more than anything else.

"How do you know? You're not even here now." Ghoul put his hand on Gerard's chest as he came closer to leave, stopping him in place, "You're still back there. Why'd you come here in the first place, Gee? To try something new, right?"

"Yeah." Gerard trailed off, shrugging as he offered Ghoul a small smile.

"Well, how can you try anything new if you haven't even left campus yet?" Ghoul asked as he waved a finger at Gerard, who realised that his R.A was right, Ghoul pointed his finger at Gerard, "Busted."

"I know. You're right." Gerard laughed softly in astonishment that he was so easy to figure out from someone he had barely met a week ago, spoken two twice.

"You gotta mingle with the people. Come on, Gee. What have you got to lose?" Ghoul asked as he slowly lifted up the picture of Frank and held it up beside his own face, sticking his tongue out slowly as Gerard laughed behind his hand.

"Fine."


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Gerard and Ghoul were walking down one of the streets of California, Gerard dressed in his usual conservative beige pants and a white button-up shirt. Completely contrasted to the shorter man who was frog marching beside him in a pair of white paisley bell bottoms, a faded purple waistcoat, a thin olive green scarf and cat-eye sunglasses, his strange hair flitting in the beach breeze.

"So the thing is is people here and the people where you're from-" Ghoul began, galloping sideways as he looked at Gerard. A guy suddenly walked up to them, barking viciously like a dog, taking Gerard completely by surprise as he yelped and jumped back against Ghoul, "Hey, he's just mingling." Ghoul chuckled as they walked through all of the people on the sidewalk, Gerard noticing just how different each one was to the next as Ghoul put his arm around Gerard.

"Stop right now. I'll take your picture. I have to take a picture." Ghoul pulled out his camera and turned to Gerard, who went pink and tried to pose as nicely as he could, "You are a fresh little boy. You will be my kitty." Ghoul stated with a thick French accent as he crouched down and took the photo of Gerard who giggled childishly, hands clasped in front of him as the camera snapped loudly.

Ghoul looked up at the store that they had stopped outside of and he took Gerard's hand in his and towed him towards it, Gerard looked up at it with genuine dubiousness, looking at the vast array of different clothing in the window, "Hey, come in here. Come on. It's okay. Come on. Now I know this place. First things first. Wardrobe."

They walked into the store and Gerard automatically felt out of place with the vintage and strange clothing around him and the people in the store.

"You wait here and I'll get you some stuff to try on, huh?" Ghoul offered as he began looking around and then he looked at Gerard, "What size are you?"

"I wear a-"

"No no, Gee. You wear way too big for your size. What size are you, not your clothes." Ghoul asked as he slid his glasses up onto his head.

"I'm a small, I think." Gerard looked down, "No- I'm- I'm a medium. Yeah."

"So we get you smalls." Ghoul chuckled at Gerard's dismay, "Chillax, Gee. I got this, you can trust old Ghoul, huh?"

"Yeah, okay." Gerard muttered, smiling as Ghoul pulled a face and began looking around at the shelves and racks of clothing.

~

"Now you've got your weasel wear." Ghoul chuckled, shuffling out the door as he escorted Gerard out of the shop with him now dressed in a red playsuit covered in tiny flowers of navy and white, showing off a body that neither was expecting. Gerard was grinning as he threw his old clothes in the trashcan that stood on the sidewalk next to a parking meter. He tucked his long black locks behind his ear when he did a spin, his eyes locked on a gorgeous woman that walked passed in a tight pair of lycra pants and a bomber jacket- but it was her choppy firetruck hair that caught the young boy's attention.

"Ghoul, I want her hair." Gerard turned and looked at his friend who also happened to be looking at the woman but for a completely different reason further down south. The moment Gerard turned and said it, Ghoul dropped his sunglasses, guffawing and nodding in approval at Gerard's choice, taking him by both hands and pulling him down the street to the nearest hair salon.

They walked in and it was dead quiet except for the women in the salon chairs that were already midway through their hair being styled. Ghoul sidled up to the Native American man behind the counter in the purple silk puffy sleeved shirt with hair like Slash, chatting to him and pointing at Gerard before gesturing to his head. The Asian man nodded fervently and walked over, talking Gerard by the shoulders, steering him to a station.

Gerard sat himself in the chair, looking at himself in the mirror when he swallowed, "I- I want it shaved on both sides and, and still long a choppy to about here." Gerard gestured with his hand to halfway up his next.

Ghoul guffawed loudly, "And?" He asked as he leaned against the counter, his leg popping behind him.

"And I want it bright red." Gerard sighed out, watching the guy gather all of his hair at the nape of his neck and clip it, opening a drawer and pulling out a long and shiny pair of scissors. He threw an apron over Gerard and took his hair, the latter began whimpering with over-zealous nerves as he could feel the scissors cutting through his lengthy hair.

Ghoul was leaning against the counter in front of Gerard, watching anxiously with his hands on his chest as Gerard 'oohed' and 'ohed' and groaned at the loss. The Asian guy held up the bundle of hair in his hand for a moment before yelling out and screaming in an almost Native American-battle cry fashion, scaring the shit out of them both and making Ghoul jump.

The next day they were back on the beach, rollerblading down the walkway together with Gerard and his new bright red hair, dressed in a pair of tight black shorts and a purple crop top with Ghoul not far behind, his own odd hairdo now having competition and his style definitely on par with a pair of light wash denim shorts that were definitely very short and an olive button-up with no sleeves that he left unbuttoned- and purple striped socks.

Ghoul skated passed Gerard as he held out his hand, smiling as Ghoul held his hands up, chuckling, "I beat you!"

The two of them continued skating down the walkway together in the sun, Gerard linking his arm with Ghoul as they skated passed the floral mural of Venice Beach.

The next day after that they were back yet again for even more clothing and even more exploring to be shared. Gerard, however, had donned Ghoul's shorts and wore a red scarf as a belt with it, platform yellow sneakers and half-calf lilac socks and a tight black vest that Ghoul had made him tuck into the shorts.

Ghoul was dressed in an even shorter pair of shorts this time, darkwash and covered in zebra pattern patchwork, olive coloured boots, red legwarmers, and a royal blue zip-up vest. Gerard smiled at him brightly as he looked around, watching Ghoul reach out and fistbump a guy

"Tattoos." Gerard looked at the tattoo parlour in front of him.

"Kravitz. What's up?" Ghoul guffawed at the guy walking with a guitar case, arm in arm with a woman.

"Come on." Gerard took Ghoul's hand despite the latter looking dubious and even dragging his feet to go in, "Come on, bud-dy."

Frank relented and they walked into the small shop, looking at all of the pages of flash on the walls, the sound of electric coils buzzing had Gerard's insides whirl with excitement.

Gerard leaned over one guy who was getting a smiley face tattooed on his head, watching curiously when the guy jumped, "Ow!"

"Oh!" Gerard jumped in fright, his heart racing as he looked away, his hand up to his face, noticing the tattoo artist wasn't wearing gloves or anything and had on his own bright red nail polish. He turned to the shop manager, a guy with bright blue eyes and a snow white buzzcut, "Does it hurt?"

"It's better... Than a kick in the face with a golf shoe." The guy shrugged as Ghoul stood nearby, eyeing some of the flash.

"So, Ghoul," Gerard asked and Ghoul turned on his heel and looked at his friend, "What do you think?"

"It's permanent." He shrugged, trailing off carefully as he looked at him, "I have a lot but you have none. You don't wanna go to fast."

"Ghoul, I'm mingling." Gerard pouted, his hand up as he played with the strap of the shop owner's white tank top, the guy who was obviously looking at Frank with distaste.

"It's up to you." Ghoul trailed off again.

"Ow-ow. Hey." The guy getting tattooed hissed beside them and Gerard jumped yet again, turning to look at the shop owner with a smile.

"Okay. So what I want is something feminine." He smiled somewhat flirtingly and the shop owner shifted, eyeing Ghoul

"He's standing right next to me."

"You see that, huh?" Ghoul guffawed playfully, "You see what happens? The ink soaks in the system and the guy's freaked out. Look at him! What are you, you freak?"

"That's a good point." The shop owner shrugged in surrender

"So?" Gerard pried and the shop owner turned to him, lips pursed in an almost bored manner.

"You pick it, I stick it."

"Here," Ghoul interrupted, handing Gerard a sheet of flash from a stack on the table, sidling over to point at the oldschool red rose, "That's nice."

"I love it." Gerard looked at himself then, "But I don't know where."

"On your ass." Ghoul announced simply and Gerard swatted him on the arm as the shop owner went to go and set up his station.

"You've got a lot. What's the best place?"

"It's gonna hurt no matter what but I always say, the closer to the bone, the more it hurts. The best places are the fleshier ones like your forearm or your thigh or your shoulder."

"Thigh is good." Gerard smiled, "At least I can hide that."

"Not in those shorts."


	6. Chapter 6

A month later and Gerard and Ghoul were on the beach, lounging on half-seats and towels. Gerard smiled, pushing his heart-shaped sunglasses up higher on his nose as he soaked up the sun on his bare skin, his chest and legs bare, his tiny denim shorts unbuttoned to expose the even smaller yellow costume bottoms beneath that he had stolen from his roommate Carol.

Ghoul had opted for a small pair of purple linen shorts and a zebra-striped kaftan that lay open at his sides, exposing his tattooed olive skin. He pushed his huge sunglasses up and leaned over Gerard and threw an empty can of beer between Gerard's legs, reaching into the open cooler to grab a can of beer. His overly ring-laden hand was halfway back when he dropped the cold tin on Gerard's lap, making him yelp.

"Hey, that is enough." Gerard scowled jokingly from where he had his nose buried in a book, laughing as Ghoul snickered again and picked up the tin, grazing his knuckles against Gerard's very inner thigh.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ghoul crooned playfully as he opened the tin and took a sip.

"God!" Gerard scoffed in annoyance and picked up the binoculars, spying at the people who were tanning and wandering around him.

"You didn't like it?" Ghoul continued to croon, leaning in playfully when Gerard decided to change the subject.

"So what about yours? What's your family like?" He sighed as he handed Ghoul the binoculars and took the beer from him to take a sip.

"Linda's a pit boss in Vegas. She's on her fourth marriage." Ghoul stated matter-of-factly as he scanned the beach avidly.

"Fourth? My God." Gerard muttered as he took a sip of beer, gagging at the taste he still wasn't used to despite Ghoul all but force-feeding him half a six-pack every night at some orchestrated party.

"To Sid. Sid sells plastic catheters, bedpans, stuff to hospitals. You'll probably see some of his work wash up here onshore from time to time. Really, you will." Ghoul looked out at the ocean as Gerard laughed softly, setting the tin in the hole they had dug in the sand as a makeshift cup holder.

"Wow! She is fantastic!" Ghoul suddenly exclaimed, sitting up straight and looking in the direction just passed Gerard, who smiled and held out a hand.

"Let me see her." Gerard took the binoculars and turned ninety degrees in his seat to spy on the woman that Ghoul was dogging after. She was tall, tan, blonde and completely plastic of course, in the smallest pink bikini imaginable.

"Hey, hey, hey. Oh, oh! Touch me! Touch me." Ghoul called out, reaching out to her with both hands despite her being too far away to hear or see, Gerard rolled his eyes, "Hey, over here! Somethin' just came up! She's a hottie. That's the kind of girl I'm gonna marry, Gerard. I promise." Ghoul stated firmly and Gerard scoffed, looking away from her as he took a sip of beer.

"Oh, you could do much better than that." Gerard waved a hand dismissively.

"Better than that? Well, I never seen no one better than her." Ghoul muttered with an obvious pout that the woman hadn't come over and mounted him right there. But Gerard wasn't even focused on it anymore.

"Oh, my God."

"No one likes me like her ever." Ghoul sighed and Gerard waved him off before clutching the binoculars tighter, grinning madly as he stared at a large man in a blue speedo with a long mane of blonde hair.

"Look at that guy. What happened to him?" Gerard cackled as Ghoul took the binoculars to get a better look at the man who was flexing near the water.

"Steroids." Ghoul muttered grimly.

"His cones are bigger than Carol's."

"Gee... Lindsey." Ghoul reprimanded with a hint of disapproval, playfully tapping him on the thigh as he pulled the binoculars away. Gerard jumped and blushed, giggling.

"What? I'm just looking." He chided as Ghoul put his sunglasses back down and slid back down in his chair, "We better get back for tonight."

"Oh yeah." Ghoul drained his can of Coors and scrunched it up in his hand, "Can't believe you've never been to a mud ring. I'm glad you're going once before you leave in a few days."

"It sounds awful." Gerard chuckled as he got up and began packing away their stuff with Ghoul still laying in his chair, eyeing him, "What?"

"Nah nothin'." Ghoul shrugged, grinning, "Let's go. I got a cheeky number for you to wear tonight."

"As long as it's these shorts, I'm in." Gerard chuckled as he helped Ghoul up.

An hour later they sat in a dark and seedy college bar on campus, sitting in high stools as close to the action as possible. All of the tables had been moved and centred around what appeared to be a large boxing ring filled with mud where two girls were wrestling. And everyone else was screaming and cheering, Ghoul included, shouting encouragement.

"Hollywood's got her set up for the body slam and, oh! That's gotta hurt, boys. Lightning comes back with a shoulder hook for the escape." The announcer spoke quickly into the microphone from his high podium at the back of the bar as one of the girls had thrown the other down into the mud and climbed on top of her.

"Whoo! Get her for big daddy now! Come on, for big daddy, big daddy." Ghoul slammed a fist on the table and stood up as everyone continued to yell indistinctly. Gerard watched one of the girls slam the other down into the mud and he laughed awkwardly, chugging some of his beer. He grimaced as one of the girls threw the other into the clay-like mud, and looked at Ghoul who was completely engrossed.

"Yeah!" Ghoul wolf-whistled and Gerard couldn't help but laugh somewhat, "Those are my kind of girls!"

Gerard sighed, annoyed at the time and at his friend. He leaned over and tugged on Ghoul's pink and white striped t-shirt, "Let's just go. Let's just-"

"Fake cones, Lee Press-Ons, hair extensions. That's the girl I'm gonna marry." Ghoul announced proudly, eyes fixated on the two women still thrashing in the mud. Gerard got up and stalked off to the announcer podium, smiling smugly to himself as he waited for the announcer to finish.

"Let's hear some noise for Hollywood and Lightning, with Hollywood taking that one in three falls, gentlemen. Three falls. Hollywood and Lightning."

"Here. Resident advisor." Gerard handed the podium speaker some money with a smile and wrote down Ghoul's name.

Gerard smiled sweetly and waited at the back by the announcer. Ghoul hadn't even noticed his disappearance as the two girls shook hands in the ring and hugged before they helped each other out.

"All right, sports fans, are you ready to rumble? We've got a challenge match this evening. And in the far corner, the resident advisor!"

"Ghoul." Gerard added.

"Let's hear it for Ghoul!"

Ghoul lit up suddenly, standing up in his tiny denim shorts as he was called out, gasping as he skipped to the ring and stood on the edge, turning to face the crowd, "That's me! Oh, that's me! That's me!"

Gerard watched as Ghoul kicked off his shoes before he stepped into the pool, clasping his hands as he flexed his muscles at Gerard and grinned, unaware of the opponent behind him.

"And his worthy opponent, the queen of the ring, a ton of fun, the brawlin' bunny, Thumper!" The announcer called out and Ghoul grinned smugly.

"Aha! Yeah!" Ghoul continued to smile and wave at the crowd, not aware of the rather large woman in a pink leotard and bunny ears. She took his arm around her neck she grabbed him around the middle and pulled him up over the ropes and into the ring.

"l hope the resident advisor hasn't been ditching P.E." The announcer called as Gerard laughed delightedly, watching as Ghoul was grabbed by the inner thigh, the smile still wide on his face.

Ghoul was suddenly grabbed by the arm and the crotch and lifted up into the air over the girl's head before she began spinning, Ghoul's screams went higher in surprise echoing as he clutched at her hands for support.

"Thumper's got him up in a full helicopter. He's twirlin', he's twirlin'!" The announcer called before Thumper dropped him down onto the ground with a splatter and a squelch as she jumped up and down happily, "Oh! And down he goes with a body slam, boys! Oh, geez!"

Ghoul resurfaced, his entire front covered in mud with the smile still intact. He turned to look up at her, most likely expecting one of the lean women from before, but the smile dropped all of a sudden when he saw Thumper. He let out a yelp, and began crawling away and around the ring frantically, "Oh shit! Jesus! Get away! Help! Get away!"

"Get him! Get him! Kill him!" Gerard called out as he repeatedly as he sat in his seat and slapped the table with his hand and chugged a large sip of beer, whooping happily as Thumper grabbed Ghoul by the back of the shirt and pulled him back, rolling him over twice before sitting on top of him and pinning him stomach-first in the mud.

"Oh! Oh, God! Ow!" Ghoul screamed 9ut, trying to squirm away but Gerard only laughed harder, still hitting the table enthusiastically.

"Get him!"

"Come on! Ow!" Ghoul wriggled free from beneath Thumper and got up, running to the end of the ring, "Get me away from here!" He screamed as Thumper went after him, almost throwing him back in the mud with a hard flop but Ghoul escaped.

"Whoo! Thumper!" Gerard sang happily as he thumped the table with both hands, watching as Ghoul was taken down once again, pinned beneath the big girl like a tiny worm.

"Help!" He coughed out heavily as he was suddenly thrown into his back and pinned.

"Still undefeated. Our ton of fun, the brawling bunny, the reigning champion, Thumper!" The announcer called out as Gerard cackled in his seat, his hands over his face as Ghoul lay spread eagle in the mud.

Gerard peeked back down to see Ghoul craning his neck to look at him, still beneath Thumper, with a disbelieving grin on his face, "You..."

"By the way, boys, she's also available for weddings." The announcer continued as Ghoul pointed an accusing finger at his friend who was still giggling amongst the indistinct chatter around them.

~

Gerard was packing in his room, grabbing last minute items that he needed to take with when he looked at the three photos he had on the magnet strip of his desk. The photo of him and Lindsey with her in his lap that they had taken last year at prom, a photo print of himself that Ghoul had taken just before his makeover and the 'before' Polaroid of Frank before he had shed the persona and become Ghoul.

"Well, I'm outta here." Carol sighed as she walked into the room while Gerard was folding a long paisley scarf, "Happy Thanksgiving."

Gerard smiled, hugging her tightly before he decidedly wrapped the scarf around his neck instead, "Oh, see ya in a week."

"Gee, telephone." Jimmy interrupted as he snuck against the doorway, smiling at them with his wife halo of pointed spikes.

"Communal living." Gerard rolled his eyes as Carol grabbed her bags and laughed as she walked out. Gerard adjusted his shoe for a second, grabbed his beer and walked out. He sidled up to the phone and spun around to face it, waving goodbye to someone, "You got him."

"Hey." A high voice greeted cheerfully and Gerard frowned, raising an eyebrow as he took a sip of Coors.

"Hi, who is this?" Gerard smiled politely to someone walking past.

"It's Lindsey, your girlfriend." Lindsey replied, sounding almost indignant.

"Bye." A girl from Gerard's Literature class waved at him as she left for the holidays.

"Hi." He waved back before he turned into the phone, "Sorry."

"What is it with those people?" Lindsey asked curiously

Gerard merely laughed her off, still smiling at everyone in the hallway, "Oh, everyone's just gettin' ready to go home."

"Bye-bye." Another guy tapped Gerard on the arm as he took a sip of beer and waved him off and another student behind him too.

"Um, so I guess I'll see you tomorrow, though, huh?" Gerard continued.

"Yeah, yeah." Lindsey gushed, no doubtedly phoning from the office phone at the store that she worked at with her family, Gerard could hear rustling papers and files, "l'm coming to the airport with your family. Can't wait to see ya. Got a lot to talk about."

"Oh, yeah?" Gerard asked with a soft laugh that didn't quite reach it's usual level of charm.

"Yeah, but you're gonna have to wait until tomorrow." Lindsey added cryptically and Gerard merely nodded.

"Hey, Gee!" Gerard heard Ghoul call him and he turned to see his friend standing in the middle of the hallway dressed in a leopard print onesie and a pilgrim hat, "Steven P.J.s! Steven Tyler P.J.s!" He crowed as he did a buckled spin or two and Gerard couldn't help the giggling.

"Gerard? Gerard?" Lindsey called on the phone.

"That's great, Ghoul. Yeah." Gerard waved him off with a wide grin as Ghoul ran back into his dorm.

"Gerard, are you listening?" Lindsey asked almost impatiently.

"Yeah, I am." Gerard waved Ghoul off, taking another swig of his beer, "I'm sorry. It's just really hard to talk right now. Um, but, okay, so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Hey... I love you." Lindsey murmured sweetly

"Yeah, me too. Bye." Gerard hung up the phone and grabbed his tin, sighing. He walked over to Ghoul's dorm and stood in the doorway, watching him curiously.

"Veal parmesan sliced beef... And ah!" Ghoul read dramatically when Gerard slid passed and tilted Ghoul's hat in a brushing gesture before sitting himself in Ghoul's hammock.

"I thought you were leaving for Vegas." Gerard tilted his head to the side as he curled up on his side and swayed back and forth against the soft hammock netting.

"Nope, fell through." Ghoul shrugged and then turned and looked at Gerard, "I'm gonna stay here and munch solo, though."

"By yourself?" Gerard asked, concerned.

"It's cool 'cause, look, Hungryman." Ghoul held out a menu, "They came out with a new Pilgrim Platter. I'm all over it. It creates the mean loaf." Ghoul grinned and started singing, "How do you please a hungry man. Sing it, Gerard!"

Gerard merely grinned and got up from the hammock, "I'm gonna go finish packing."

Ghoul looked up at him with a small smile that seemed surprisingly tender, "Okay, well, take care."

"No, I'll see you before I leave." Gerard promised as he walked to the door.

"Okay, bye." Ghoul waved him off half-heartedly before he continued with his menu, "Hungryman satisfies your appetite with more meat-"

Gerard heard Ghoul's microwave go off behind him but it didn't matter, he stopped just outside the doorway when he was hit with a sudden wave of epiphany. A sudden coldness when he realised why Lindsey was so excited to see him and why she had said that they had things to talk about.

And he wanted to do something nice for his friend too. A bonus add-on that just so happened to co-inside with his plan. He turned and switched the microwave off with a smile and set the menu down.

"For hearty appetites and your enjoyment we offer a hungry- What are you- Hey." Ghoul protested but Gerard bent down beside him, smiling widely.

"I have a better idea." Gerard nodded eagerly as Ghoul frowned at him, eyebrows knitted together. 


	7. Chapter 7

They all stood waiting out on the tarmac of the tiny airport, the entire family plus Lindsey all lined up in waiting for Gerard and his friend, their excitement palpable. The plane was slowly coming down towards the runway, the tiny aircraft so loud but so exciting.

"Hold up the sign so he can see it." Donald nodded at his youngest son who was standing between his mother and Lindsey. Mikey merely sighed, pushed his glasses up on his nose and held up the large sheet of card that said 'Go home Gerard'.

The door of the plane opened and stairs descended as Donald looked at his son and saw what he had written, "Michael!"

"Bonk!" Lindsey punched Mikey playfully on the head as the young teenager rolled his eyes and turned the sign over to the correct message of 'Welcome home Gerard".

"Oow! What's up, buddies?" Gerard called as he stepped out of the plane and saw his family nearby, "Ha! Guys!" He waved at them to get their attention and each face suddenly went pale and startled at his appearance.

"Is that him? Is that-" Donna asked her husband softly, pointing politely.

"Huh?" Donald turned just as Gerard did a spin, bright red hair, wide sunglasses and a black mesh top with shorts, legwarmers and platforms included.

"It is him." Donna murmured.

"Check it." Gerard grinned and did a proud spin with his arms out, vintage coat folded over one.

"Oh no." Donna breathed.

"Goddamn." Donald outright grunted, squinting.

"Weasel wear." Gerard chuckled before he let out a breathy sigh and embraced his mother, "Donna."

She mouthed her own name in surprise, Gerard would never usually call her that.

"Walter." Gerard leaned in and kissed his dad's cheek, seeing a purple smear of his lipstick he had forgotten about, "Whoops. Sorry." He whispered sheepishly as he wiped it off.

Gerard moved passed them and ruffled his brother's hair, "What's up, bro?"

"Excuse me?" Mikey asked indignantly, inspecting his brother as though he were an imposter.

"Thanks for the sign." Gerard smiled and Mikey offered one back but it was still a shocked chagrin. Gerard moved on to the last of the pack, seeing Lindsey right on the end with wide eyes and a green tint to her face, "Lindsey." They kissed chastely, "Good to see you."

"Fine. How are you?" Lindsey replied blankly, nodding and smiling but again it seemed like shock at Gerard's appearance.

"Happening." Gerard muttered when Mikey looked his brother over again, noting a hint of a tattoo peeking out from the hem of Gerard's shorts.

"Uh, where's your friend, dear?" Donna asked politely.

"Oh, he was right-?" Gerard turned towards the plane

"He?" Everyone asked in unison and looked at the plane

"And... cut!" Ghoul called out, stopping a couple feet from the family in his maroon corduroy bellbottoms and his green boots and purple crop top.

"Guys, this is Ghoul." Gerard smiled happily and gestured to the guy who was still holding a video camera in his hand.

He took off his sunglasses with a smile, "Ways. The family I never had." He grinned as Donna's mouth slackened and Mikey looked like he kept wanting to run, "Huh!"

"Crawl, this is my family." Gerard introduced as Ghoul galloped towards them enthusiastically, reaching an unsuspecting Mikey first.

"You must be Mikey. Gerard told me about those puffy cheekies." Ghoul grabbed one of Mikey's sallow sunken cheeks with ringed fingers.

"Ow! Mom!" Mikey yelped and pulled away but Ghoul had moved on, smiling impishly.

"But he never said he had a younger sister. Huh!" Ghoul guffawed as he looked at Donna who went somewhat pink and confused as Ghoul looked at Donald, "We're old friends, 'member?"

Donald grimaced in a way that indeed showed that he did remember meeting Ghoul before, "Uh yeah."

"You'll be happy to know, though, right after you bailed, I popped your son's trunk." Ghoul grinned and Donald went wide-eyed.

"Oh, shit."

~

They were driving back to the farm now, Donna and Donald in the front with Gerard and Lindsey in the back and Mikey between them with Gerard's paper-boy hat on his head. And Ghoul in the back bed of the truck, standing up and screaming like a hooligan.

"North Dakota, South Dakota, East Dakota, West Dakota! Yeah!" He sang out at the wide fields on either side of him, his long scarves billowing out behind him. He was banging his hands on the roof of the truck when Gerard laughed and replied with his own set of rhythmic bangs to the roof, laughing gleefully, "Come on, come on, come on! Green Acres is the place to be, Farm livin' is the life for me, Land spreadin' out so far and wide, Keep Manhattan just gimme that countryside."

They drove into the farm and slowly pulled up to the front of the house as Ghoul finished his song and he turned and looked around, arms still out, basking in the fresh air, "No downtown! Middle America! Oh, buddy! I'm here! I have arrived!"

Everyone watched him as he jumped off of the back of the truck and began kissing the ground, "Oh! Oh! Oh!" He hopped up and began filming avidly, "Noing-noing-noing."

"House looks great." Gerard commented to his mother as they closed the truck doors.

"Yes, dear. Some things never change." Donna muttered as she threw one last glance at Ghoul who was still making sounds and filming, and walked off toward her husband.

"Oh, Pappy!" Gerard gasped happily when he saw his grandfather who had come out to meet them at the gate to the house, hugging him happily and kissing his cheek

"Excuse me." Ghoul appeared next to Donald who was attempting to get the suitcase from the flatbed, "Hi, can you just tape this for us?" Ghoul asked Donald with a smile as he handed over his video camera.

"Just- Yeah, just- Here. Just get me." Ghoul muttered as Donald held up the camera gingerly, watching as Ghoul went down on the floor on his stomach and pretended to paddle, "Oh, what's up, Middle America? Rippin' the fields. A-hoo! A-hoo! Gettin' barreled." He stood up, pretending to surf, "Pipeline. Oo-ooh!" He reached over and took the camera with a grin, "Sorry. I just get real excited. Just never been here before."

"Look, uh... Uh, Ghost." Donald began.

"Ghoul." He corrected happily, solemnly, hands behind his back.

"Right." Donald cleared his throat and Ghoul nodded, "You're gonna be sleepin' up in Mikey's room." He pointed to his son who was avidly waving in refusal behind Ghoul. Ghoul turned to look at Mikey, who had been caught, but had suddenly been grabbed by Donna in alarm.

"Cool." Ghoul reached out at Mikey's face, wiggling his ringed fingers at him slowly but Mikey leaned back apprehensively, "We'll get to know each other."

"Can't wait." He whispered in a horrified monotone.

"What'd they do to ya, Shortcake? I can't hardly recognize you." Gerard's grand-dad took a step back and looked over his grandson in surprise, smiling wide as ever as Gerard gushed over his favourite family member.

"Chickens." Ghoul gasped suddenly when he heard a rooster crow in the distance, "You guys have chickens?" Ghoul looked at Donald as he asked, the latter seeming reluctant to answer, his face and expression seemingly on it's last tether already, "Oh, I love chickens. Are they extra crispy or original recipe?"

Donna eyed him for a moment when Ghoul let out a sudden rooster call and began clucking, walking towards the chicken pen with his arms tucked like wings that were flapping at his sides. The sound alerted Henry and Gerard and they looked on with Gerard laughing.

"Who in the hell is that?" Henry asked over the loud animal noises that Ghoul was emitting. Lindsey stood nearby, shaking her head, watching Ghoul run in a serpentine towards the farm animals, still yelling.

Gerard noted the expression on Lindsey's face and walked over, "What's wrong?"

Lindsey took Gerard's hand in hers, "We have to talk. Come on." She muttered quietly and towed Gerard away from the mayhem, leaving poor Henry still standing there utterly confused and horrified at the man in red pants that was yelling at his chickens.

"Good God Almighty." Henry muttered softly, appalled.

Ghoul continued to run, his camera up to his face as he chased the chickens he had found, "Wait, stop! Hi, sweetie. I'm on your side." He bent down to try and touch one, "Chickens!" He followed the chickens through the farm until they slipped through a fence. Ghoul looked through the camera excitedly before he grabbed at the gate of the high fence and pulled on the chain.

"Hey, I wouldn't get any closer than that if I was you." Ghoul jumped and saw a large man suddenly walk to his side, stopping him in his tracks, "You go in there, old Samson, he's gonna have his way with you."

"Chickens? Please." Ghoul scoffed with disbelief as he tried to open the gate that the man was closing, "Gobble, gobble, gobble."

"Bull." The other man interrupted with an accurate bull-like snort. Ghoul looked through the fence and saw an impressive bull angrily bucking against a wooden section of the fence nearby and he let out a series of horrified screams and backed away.

"Yah! Back off, Samson!" The large man called at the bull through the fence, tethering the fierce animal away and into its own small shelter.

"Ah, ah! Thank you so much." Ghoul groaned, hugging the man from behind.

"Hey, hey! What are you doin'?" He yelped heatedly, shaking Ghoul off with disdain and disgust.

"I just wanted to say thank you for saving me. I've never been on a farm before." Ghoul stated matter-of-factly.

"You're kiddin'." He seemed horrified at the thought.

"Uh-uh. Hi." Ghoul held out his hand, "I'm Gerard's friend. My name's Ghoul. Pleasure to meet you, bro. Ow." Ghoul muttered when his hand was taken by the wrist and grasped firmly in a gloved hand.

"I'm Dewees. Nice to meet you, bro." Dewees stated in a tone that said the exact opposite and began squeezing Ghoul's hand tightly.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow." Ghoul whimpered as he slowly dropped with each tightening before ending up on the hay-covered ground on his side, shaking his hand, "Ease up on the steroids. Juice will make the jewels shrivel into sun-dried tomatoes." He stated pointedly and Dewees looked down at his crotch with a frown and back up, "Ow, ow. Fuck." Ghoul muttered as he got up slowly and walked away from the hulking and unfriendly farmer.

Ghoul sauntered off the way he had come from, filming everything around him that he possibly could as he walked and made commentary. He made his way up to the gate of the house and crept up the pathway when he saw an old man sitting on the porch whittling wood and chewing.

"Oh, my God. It's Bartles or Jaymes." He muttered to himself, "Dude, which one are you?" He called out and Henry looked up, unimpressed, and watched as Ghoul ascended the few steps towards him, "I need a pen. Sign my jacket, bro. You have no clue on how huge you are with the college circuit. We love your wine coolers." Ghoul bent down to smile at Henry, who merely stared back.

Inside the house, Mikey was following his father around persistently, "Can't he sleep in the barn?"

"Michael, I'm not gonna have that, uh... Uh, what's-his-name..." Donald grabbed a fold up bed from the hallway closet and handed it to his youngest son, "Sleepin' out there in the barn so just cool it."

"Fine." Mikey shrugged, his voice cracking, "I'll sleep in the barn."

"Stop whining."

"You will not sleep in the barn." Donna stated in outrage at her son as she appeared in the kitchen with fresh linen, "Just go upstairs and set up the cot."

"l don't want to." Mikey groaned softly, pouting, looking out the window.

Ghoul stood where Henry was and slapped his thigh, still trying to get the old man to talk to him, "Maybe I can whittle wood with you sometime, cool, buddy?" He half yelled, thinking maybe the old man was somewhat deaf. Instead, Henry merely leaned over and spat tobacco into a pot near Ghoul's feet, making him jump back, "Ah- Stick-y."

Ghoul realised the moment was over and he lifted his camera up to continue filming, "Okay bye, Bartle. See ya later. I'm gonna be- I'll just be, um- There's, um-" He giggled as he marched towards the front door smiling impishly at the old man in the rocking chair before he walked into the house.

He looked around at their traditional farmhouse, the everything-made-of-wood look, the slightest dust smell in the air from the antiques and the cliche wallpaper. He saw the family, Donna, Donald and Mikey, standing in a doorway and cleared his throat softly, waiting until they all looked at him.

"Hey, Ways?" He began and they all walked closer to him to hear what he had to say, "Look, I'm sorry I snapped back there. I just never been in a place so pure. So if I'm being an inconvenience, let me know."

"Well, actually-" Mikey began when Donna slapped her hand lightly over his mouth and looked back up at Ghoul

"Not at all. Please just make yourself at home." Donna smiled pleasantly as she pushed her youngest son towards the stairs with the cot still in his arms.

"Really?" Ghoul asked apprehensively but Donna continued to smile at him, nodding fervently, "Where's the kitchen?"

"It's right back there." She pointed to where they had come from, behind her husband who was still holding a pile of linen.

"I'm gonna go munching on some grindage." Ghoul began walking passed her, walking his usual bow-legged and dramatic gait, he leaned in at Donald, "Buddy!"

He disappeared from sight, letting out a small, "Ah-ooh-ohh." As he entered the kitchen. Donna and Donald merely eyed each other for a second before Donald sighed and carried the linen up to his youngest son.

~

Ghoul had finally finished in the kitchen and made his way up the wooden staircase, he saw two rooms beside each other, one with a plain door and one covered in stickers. He knew instantly whose room was whose and let out a chuckle. He opened the door just as Mikey was grumpily unfolding the cot, muttering to himself as he pushed the metal frame against the wall. He gasped.

"Look at this place." Ghoul stated in a very British accent, "Spectacular quarters, me matey. Did you design it yourself?" He asked as he looked around the room with wide eyes and a grin, the room had posters and road signs all over it in a chaotic but somehow organised mess just like his own dorm room.

Ghoul walked over to Mikey and held out the lettuce, tomato and cheese filled bread in his hand, "Look what I got for you, buddy. A sandwich too."

Mikey gingerly pushed Ghoul's hand away as he grabbed a blanket, "That's okay. I'll pass."

"You sure?" Ghoul asked with a frown.

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll put it over there just in case you get hungry later." Ghoul smiled as he walked over to Mikey's desk and set the sandwich down on top of a plate that was already sitting there, "Since we're gonna be roommates."

"Right." Mikey whispered sarcastically as he shook out a blanket and chucked it in a heap on the cot.

Ghoul looked at the computer that sat on Mikey's desk and instantly recognised it with a flash of envy and pride in his stomach, "The 2-CJX! Look at this." He guffawed as he tapped a button on the keyboard.

"Hello, Mikey." The computer droned out in a monotone as the teenager leapt over the bed and around Ghoul, stepping between him and the PC.

"Don't touch that." He ordered indignantly.

"I just wanted to take a peep." Ghoul frowned in confusion as he took a bite of his sandwich, staring down at the boy.

"Maybe now's a good time to talk about the rules in my room." Mikey muttered in a soft but somehow domineering tone.

Ghoul scoffed, face scrunched up, mouth still full of food, "Rules?"

"Yeah." Mikey sneered, "Rule number one: Don't touch anything." He spat.

"And wha's rule number two?" Ghoul asked, chewing obnoxiously.

"There's only one rule." Mikey still whispered menacingly, "Don't. Touch-"

"Anything! Got it." Ghoul interrupted unhappily as he held his hands up in surrender, they eyed each other for a second until Mikey seemed appeased by the stranger, "Got it. I'm takin' this back." Ghoul took his second sandwich from Mikey's plate and began to move away as he chewed but he stopped, eyes on Mikey.

"What?"

"You ever meet the tooth fairy?" Ghoul asked as he chewed.

"No." Mikey shrugged, looking up at Ghoul with condescending eyes.

"Never?" Ghoul asked as he took another bite.

"No." Mikey shrugged and Ghoul came up to him, standing right in front of him and Mikey stumbled back against the side of the bookshelf. Ghoul closed the gap in one stride and continued to stare down at him.

"I wouldn't fall asleep if I were you."

"Mom!" Mikey suddenly yelled and Ghoul jumped, putting his hand over Mikey's mouth.

"I'm just kidding!" He yelped as Mikey continued to yell for help, "Just kidding!" Even offering his sandwich back before he shot back and away from the child.

"Relax, bro." Ghoul bit into his sandwich as Mikey panted, "Come on. I'm Gerard's friend, dude." He lay himself down somewhat on the cot with his elbow keeping him up, seeing Mikey still on edge by the desk, "Puffy Cheeks, chill."

Gerard and Lindsey had wandered off on their own, walking into the barn that they had spent so much time in at night. Gerard opened the door and saw his favourite cow standing inside and chewing on hay, "Oh, Elsie." He beamed as he walked toward her.

"So what's goin'-" Lindsey began when she cut herself off, stepping directly in a large pile of fresh cow leavings.

"Oh shit." Gerard whispered

"Oh, shit!" Lindsey grunted unhappily as she looked down at her white sneaker.

"Same old tricks. Come on. Come on, sweetheart." Gerard led the cow away, trying not to laugh as Lindsey began smearing her shoe against one of the door gratings to try and get most of the mess off, "There, girl." Gerard led the cow into her stable with a friendly pat on the thigh before he closed the gate, "So, um, how's your mom doin'?"

"So... What's goin' on?" Lindsey ignored Gerard's attempts at small talk and cut right to what she wanted to know.

"What do you mean?" Gerard asked with a smile, standing where he was by the stable.

"This guy." Lindsey gestured to the house where she assumed Ghoul would be before she looked at Gerard, somewhat deflated and panicked, "I mean, who is he?"

"Oh, Linds, I'm sorry." Gerard realised how it must seem for his girlfriend and he walked forward, "He's my neighbour. He- He was alone for Thanksgiving." Gerard walked up to Lindsey and cupped her face, "He's just a friend. Oh"

They kissed softly, tenderly, Gerard's hand resting on her shoulder as she held him close.

"Oh. Oh, I'm so glad you're finally here." Lindsey whispered as she broke the kiss and Gerard pulled away slowly, spinning them around as he took a tentative step back.

"You know what?" He whispered, "I gotta get back in."

"Oh, no, wait. Uh-" Lindsey shrugged as Gerard took another step, "Before you go, um, uh-"

"What?" Gerard asked breathlessly, still reeling from the kiss.

"Uh..."

"What?"

"Well, I- I've been thinkin' a lot about us lately, you know? I mean, you've been gone for three months and I realized how much I love you." Lindsey gushed nervously and Gerard couldn't help the smile that spread on his face as he brushed the hair from his face.

"Linds." He gushed, chuckling.

"And I guess what I'm tryin' to say is..." She slowly went down on one knee in front of Gerard, "Gerard, will you-"

Gerard's eyes widened at the realisation and he almost doubled over, "Oh, God."

"Wh- What is it?" Lindsey got up, helping Gerard stay upright as he turned and began to try and walk.

"I'm feeling just a little, um-" He shakily sat down on a hay bale with Lindsey holding his hand gingerly, "I'm just a little dizzy, that's all."

"Are you okay?" Lindsey asked as he hyperventilated.

"Yeah, yeah." He reassured breathily, "You know, I think with the plane and all." He swallowed hard, holding his head, "I'm just a little worn out." He laughed nervously, gripping the hay beneath him tightly.

"Well, that's okay." Lindsey squeezed his shoulder softly, "That's okay. It's no problem. We got all week, right?"

"Right." Gerard breathed out, smiling widely as he looked back down, laughing again nervously.

"Why don't you take a nap?" 

"Okay." Gerard got up slowly.

"And I'll see ya tonight at the country club, right?" Lindsey smiled brightly at the prospect and Gerard internally cursed.

"Right, right. Okay." He turned and walked to the huge barn doors, smiling back at her with more nervous laughter as he opened the door and walked out.

"Oh, Gerard, don't worry about your hair. It'll grow back." Lindsey called after him as he walked towards the house. He merely laughed it off, waving a hand at his girlfriend as he quickly strode away, heart still beating against his lungs, a nausea still imminent in his stomach.

"Error. Error. Error." The computer continued to beep and Mikey let out a groan.

"Damn it." He sighed, putting his face in his hands frustratedly.

"Error. Error." It continued.

"Can I show you a shortcut?" Ghoul offered softly from his spot on his bed.

"You show me a shortcut?" Mikey asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, me show you a shortcut." Ghoul imitated him brusquely as the computer went on, he reached out, "Can I- I have to touch your computer, though."

"Be my guest." Mikey whispered softly and Ghoul got up from the bed and wandered back to the desk, Mikey got out of the chair and they stopped in front of each other, staring one another down heavily as Ghoul walked by and say down in the chair with a small smile.

"Error. Error. Error. Error. Error." It continued to beep at them as Ghoul slid the chair closer, ignoring Mikey close to his side, and typed in a couple keys.

"See that?" Ghoul pointed at the screen as he continued, the screen went black for a moment before it pulled up a different message and a welcome bar 

"Loading."

"Ta-da!" Ghoul muttered smugly before he pulled an Italian move and kissed his fingertips, "Mwah."

"It's gone." Mikey spluttered, bewildered, and turned to look at Ghoul who was leaning back in the chair, "How'd you do it?"

"Your PC got harshed, right, 'cause your system heaps at the wrong parameter. So I toasted the dated directory, tweaked the P-RAM... And reglazed your subroutine."

"How'd someone like you get into computers?"

"Grew up at Caesar's Palace. Right? In Vegas? Gambling, cones, the whole package, right?" Ghoul shrugged, "Didn't have any friends," He laughed softly, "So I just pounded away on the old keyboard... For a couple of years, solo mission." Ghoul pretended to type away, clicking with his tongue before he shrugged again and looked up at Mikey, "l don't know."

"So you're just an old hacker like me but disguised as an idiot." 

Ghoul guffawed loudly, "Yeah, basically."

Gerard suddenly walked in, interrupting them, he stood in the doorway looking frantic, "Mikey, can you please leave?"

Mikey scoffed him off, smiling at Ghoul who nodded, "We're busy."

"Michael, please."

"No, it's my room." Mikey scowled.

"Our room." Ghoul interrupted, pointed at the kid, and they both chuckled.

"Our." Mikey amended.

Gerard sauntered forward, "I'll tell Mom where all your Playboys are." He muttered quietly before he kicked a trunk at the foot of Mikey's bed.

"So? I'll tell Dad you got a tattoo." Mikey argued back and folded his arms.

"Go ahead. l don't care." Gerard muttered flippantly and folded his arms too.

"Playboys? Dude, don't hold out on me, bro. What month?" Ghoul leaned forward.

Mikey shrugged, picked up his sandwich and took a bite, "I'm a subscriber." He announced proudly before he walked over to Gerard, waved the sandwich in his face and walked out, leaving the two older teenagers alone.

"Whoa." Ghoul muttered as he looked at Gerard, noticing how frantic he was, how he nervously paced on the spot and how he looked somewhat green.

"Ghoul, we have to talk." Gerard laughed nervously, taking a step forward before he stepped back again.

"Yeah, I could see that. What's the problem, Gee?"

Gerard stood there, hands out and clasped together like a prayer as he rocked back and forth on his feet, "Lindsey is gonna ask me to marry her."

"What?"

Gerard laughed nervously again, "She got down on one knee."

"Ew." Ghoul muttered, pursing his lips.

Gerard continued to pace, rambling, "I thought she was what I wanted, but now I just- I just can't see myself settling down." He spun around, "You know, I think I'm really too young..."

"Hey, hey, hey, hey-" Ghoul called loudly got up and walked over slowly.

"-To be thinking about these things." Gerard looked up as Ghoul put his hands on Gerard's shoulders.

"Hey, hey, hey, stop! Stop..."

"What?" Gerard breathed out heavily.

"Sit down." Ghoul ordered as he sat Gerard down on the end of the bed, looking into his frantic hazel eyes.

"What?"

"Relax." Ghoul soothed in a whisper as he crouched down in front of Gerard, "Hey, you don't have to do anything you don't wanna do."

Gerard groaned, "Ghoul, it's not that easy." Ghoul got up, scratching behind his ear as Gerard spoke, "You know, we've been together for a long time. I just don't wanna hurt her."

"Just remember, the longer you wait, the more painful it's gonna be." Ghoul pursed his lips and Gerard nodded, swallowing hard.

"I know." Gerard took a deep breath, his shoulders slumped, "I'll tell her tonight."

"Listen, I- I gotta tell you somethin'." Ghoul got up, looking sad and uneasy. Gerard frowned, eyeing him curiously.

"What?" Gerard asked softly and Ghoul pulled his crop top off and threw it on the ground.

"My gear, man." Ghoul grunted, "I'm feelin' really out of place. You gotta hook me up with some rustic wear." They both laughed, "I could take your style with my style and just interweave 'em." He connected his hands in a clasp and did a worm with them, making Gerard laugh loudly.

Ghoul smiled proudly at himself for making Gerard laugh before he kicked him lightly on the leg, "Get your hat. Let's cruise. Come on."


	8. Chapter 8

They drove through the main road of the small town and over the railway tracks with Gerard at the wheel of his dad's pick up and Ghoul in the passenger seat with his head out of the window like a dog.

“Oww!” Ghoul howled as Gerard turned, pulling the red truck into a parking space and killed the engine and the loud music that went with it.

Gerard climbed out of the truck and put his hat on before he looked at Ghoul who was still sitting there, “Come on, bud-dy.” He hit his hands down on the hood of the huge truck before gesturing to the store as he laughed happily, “You want some rustic wear.”

Ghoul carefully got out and looked around and they linked arms as they walked when Gerard waved to a woman walking passed, “Hey, Miss Pucket.”

“Hi, I think.”

Gerard walked into the store in front of Ghoul, who stopped and looked at two older men sitting on a bench, he let out a guffaw and ran his hand over the man's head and under his chin without touching him, “Inbreeders.”

He walked into the store, still chuckling, and looked around it. It reminded him of the thrust stores he saw back home, and smelled like pine and mothballs. He was fascinated as Gerard towed him through some of the clothing, squeezing his hand as they joked. Ghoul immediately grabbed the biggest cowboy hat he could find and popped it on Gerard's head on top of Gerard's paper-boy hat already on his head. 

They walked through the aisles and went through everything with Ghoul picking stuff and giving it to Gerard to hold or somehow wear.

 

“Okay, we need the hat for the ’do-saver’.'' Ghoul muttered as a little girl watched Ghoul in awe.

“Charlene, get away from them!” A mother suddenly swooped in and picked the small child up.

“Oh, boots!” Ghoul cried happily as he turned and examined a display of differently coloured cowboy boots.

“I'm mingling. Mommy!” The girl cried in protest as she was hurried away. Ghoul waved her off with a wiggle of his ringed-fingers.

“Okay, Ghoul, the dressing room's over there.” Gerard muttered as he herded his friend towards the row of curtained booths.

“I need more stuff.” Ghoul complained with a wide grin.

“No, you don't.” Gerard argued with a laugh.

“Okay.” Ghoul huffed as he reached for a denim jacket last minute.

“No, you don't.” Gerard pushed him into one of the changing rooms.

“Right here?” Ghoul asked as he slid into the closed dressing room curtain.

“Yes. Take these.” Gerard laughed as he offloaded every single item in his hands, “Okay, okay.”

“Okay, okay, okay.” Ghoul whispered as he closed the curtains properly and began to try things on. Gerard let out a sigh, dusting himself off as he turned around and wandered away.

“Gerard?” A voice called and he turned to see a curvy woman with short brown hair and bright pink pants.

“Hi, Jamia.” He smiled widely, recognising his classmate, one of Lindsey's friends.

“Wow! You look great. I hardly recognized you.” Jamia gushed as she looked Gerard over.

“Thanks.” Gerard whispered meekly.

 

“When did you get… Back?” Jamia asked as her eyes finally hit Gerard's head and her smile widened.

Gerard cursed internally as he slowly pulled the enormous cowboy hat from his head, “Um, uh, this morning.” He laughed nervously and set it down on the chair beside him, “You're still here. I thought you were going to New York or something.”

 

“Well, I still am. I just need to save some money first.” Jamia shrugged.

 

“You're still working at the bar, though?”

“Yeah. You should come by.” Jamia smiled and looked at the stranger that had wandered over.

“Yeah, definitely. I'd like that.” Gerard added and then turned to see Ghoul dressed in his own sheer bright green long sleeve, a white cowboy hat and brown suede pants.

Ghoul smiled awkwardly and made a gesture with his hands, sign language that he knew, “Introduce me.”

“Uh- Jamia, this is my friend Ghoul.” Gerard whispered with a cheery smile.

 

“What's happenin'? Nice to meet you.” Ghoul held out his hand to the girl who seemed highly entertained.

“Likewise.” She reached out to shake Ghoul's hand as Gerard stepped aside.

“Have you ever done any acting?” Ghoul asked curiously and Gerard finally took in his friend’s full outfit properly.

He couldn't help but laugh, “Ghoul, what the hell are you wearing? Chaps?”

“Cheek chillers. You likes?” Ghoul asked with a grin and Jamia burst into a fit of giggles.

 

“I hates.” Gerard shook his head.

“Okay.” Ghoul grinned at Jamia as Gerard laughed before he turned and began walking back to the stall.

 

“Not bad.” Jamia muttered with a smile.

“What-” Gerard turned to see Ghoul walking into the stall with no jeans on under his chaps and his entire ass out on display, “Oh Ghoul, that is disgusting!”

 

Ghoul merely laughed as Gerard his his face, eyeing Jamia apologetically despite how impressed she looked.

~

That very night Lindsey sat with her family at the lavish country club for the weekly dinner, dressed in her usual black dress, nervously waiting for Gerard and his family to arrive as she drummed her fingers on the table. She turned and saw him walking down the pathway dressed in a tight pair of black pants, a black waistcoat on and the same long black mesh top beneath it. He was waving at the people he knew, confident as ever, as he walked in front of his mother in her purple and pink flowery dress and Mikey who had been forcibly shoved into the ugliest sweater.

“Hi, how ya doin'?” Gerard greeted one of his mom's friends. He looked up and saw Lindsey smiling at him.

“Hi.” Lindsey greeted softly from across the room.

“Hi, Linds.” Gerard mouthed as he reached the table. He stepped aside as Donna was helped into her seat by Henry who was already there, pushing the seat in for her.

 

“Thank you, Dad.” Donna smiled as Gerard sat down.

“Michael, help your brother.” Henry added as Mikey went to sit down at the rounded table that was set out for the family.

“Michael.” Donna chided but Gerard held up a hand, pushing his chair in because he knew the last time Mikey had offered to help him with his chair, he had pulled it out instead of pushing it in and Gerard had fallen on his ass.

“Now, if Junior would get here-” Henry sighed but Donald was already striding into the hall rather quickly, trying to get away from the odd man who was walking excitedly behind him.

“Where'd- Why'd ya go so fast?” Ghoul muttered softly as Donald turned to look at him and then all but run away to the table.

Ghoul stood there in the doorway, looking at everyone with an excited smile. He had on a pointed pair of black shoes, thick purple socks, short denim overalls on with blue bicycle shorts and his lime green long sleeve beneath them, his black denim jacket covered in patches and buttons, a purple bandana and a bulltie around his neck and a white cowboy hat perched on his already odd hairstyle. He waved pleasantly at the people who had turned to look, “Hello, my name is Ghoul. Hello.” He greeted as he walked through the tables towards Gerard, “Real people! Down-home-cookin’ people. Hey, cool goatee, buddy. What's up, pal? Whoa!” He fist-bumped a guy, smiling.

“Look at him.” Mikey chuckled, leaning back in his chair.

“How ya doin' there, sir?” Ghoul greeted.

“Aha!” Gerard happily, leaning back in his chair to get Ghoul's attention once he was close enough.

“Listen, you guys, I was feelin'... Really, like, out of place, but, hey, check it.” Ghoul did a spin for the Way family, “Now I fit in.” 

“It's great.” Gerard purred happily over his shoulder at Ghoul as he sat down beside him. Mikey was still in hysterics, chuckling behind his hand.

Even Henry was trying not to laugh, coughing out a disguised, “Hmph!” at Ghoul's outlandish outfit.

“It's okay.” Ghoul stated softly as he slid his seat closer and looked at Gerard with a tender smile when he took his hat off and set it in his lap.

“So, uh... Goblin-”

“Ghoul.” Mikey admonished his father knowingly, still leaning in his seat on one arm.

“Oh, right, um…” Donald nodded, “What kind of name is that anyway?”

 

“Nickname. They gave it to me my freshman year 'cause I looked scary and I was always moanin’.” He chuckled and Gerard and Mikey laughed while Donna went pink and looked alarmed, clearly no one else thought it was as funny.

“En garde!” Mikey leaned over the table with a breadstick pointed at his brother.

“Mikes, grow up.” Gerard scoffed with a small laugh as he leaned closer with his own breadstick.

“I can't wait 'til I grow up. Then I can get a tattoo just like you.” Mikey grinned devilishly and Gerard winced outright, cursing.

“Tattoo?” Henry gasped, dropping his napkin.

 

“Tattoo?” Donna and Donald asked in outrageous unison at their children. Gerard was about to explain, mouth open and ready to spew excuses when a loud and tinkling sound cut them off. Everyone turned to see Lindsey standing up with a wineglass and fork in her hand, clearly signalling everyone that she wanted to speak.

“Uh oh.” Gerard whispered under his breath and slid down in his seat as Ghoul turned somewhat to look at Lindsey.

Lindsey walked to stand in middle of the walkway between the two large sides of tables, “As you all know, Gerard Way and I have been courting for almost five years now.”

 

“Oh, shit!” Gerard whispered, fidgeting.

“She's doing it right now?” Ghoul asked in the same hushed whisper at Gerard, who nodded and mouth a 'yes’, eyes wide as he turned to look at Lindsey again.

“And since I think of you all as family, I thought it was important that we include you on this very special occasion.” Lindsey smiled as she walked closer to Gerard's table.

“Ghoul.” Gerard whispered desperately.

“What am I supposed-” Ghoul began.

 

“Honey.” Donna interrupted them and Gerard turned to smile at her nervously, letting off a soft and breathy laugh.

“Gerard, will you marry me?” Lindsey asked with a wide grin as she held out a box and a ring glinted within it. Everyone began to applaud and Gerard continued his nervous breathy laughter. Donna let out an “Oh.” And held her hands up to her face, gushing for her son.

“Do something. Do something!” Gerard eyed Ghoul fiercely, desperately as he stomped hard on Ghoul's foot.

“Ow!” Ghoul stood up suddenly, “Ow, ow, ow! Wait. I just wanted to say something.” Lindsey looked pointedly at Gerard with the ring box still outstretched but Ghoul continued, looking around, “Huh, just wanted to say, um, that Lindsey is too late.”

Lindsey’s face dropped, a soft gaggle of indistinct whispers broke out and Mikey leaned back to look at Ghoul with a devilish grin, “Whoa, this is getting good.”

Gerard let out a choked breath as he locked eyes with Ghoul who continued, “Yeah, um, 'cause a couple weeks ago at school, I already asked Gee to marry me.” He shrugged.

“Oh, no.” Someone in the crowd whispered and Gerard managed another laugh, his mouth closed in a polite smile as he looked around.

Ghoul turned to look at Lindsey, “And he said yes.”

Lindsey dropped her arm at her side slowly as the chatter grew louder around them.

 

“Oh, my God.” Henry muttered slowly as he buried his face in his hand.

“Here. I almost forgot, sweetie.” Ghoul pulled a ring from one of his fingers, “Here's your little ringie. Look it, he's nervous.” Ghoul smiled as Gerard held out a shaky hand for him to slide the ring onto his finger.

Lindsey snapped the box shut and walked passed them hurriedly when Ghoul called out to her, “Oh, hey, dude, don't worry. He never cheated on you.”

“Lindsey?” Gerard called out as he got up, “Lindsey!” He called, running after her as she stormed out of the hall.

“Mom, Dad.” Ghoul leaned down between Donna and Donald, “Maybe now is a good time to start thinkin' about a bachelor party. Be back in a sec.” He muttered before he walked off after them.

“Lindsey! Linds!” Gerard called as he chased her down the stairs of the country club, “Will you just stop? I'm sorry.”

Lindsey finally stopped at the foot of the stairs, looking anywhere but Gerard as he stood a foot or so away, unsure.

“Just a friend.” Lindsey stayed through her teeth.

“I'm sorry.” Gerard replied, on the verge of humiliated tears.

“Alone at Thanksgiving.” Lindsey asked rhetorically and then scoffed as Gerard buried his face in his hands, “Why didn't you just tell me the truth?”

“Because there wasn't time.” Gerard muttered, fingers pressed on his temples as he stared at the red carpet beneath their feet.

“Your timing was perfect tonight, Gerard.” She almost yelled as she pointed to the hall.

“Gee, are you okay?” Ghoul asked as he came down the stairs.

“Yes, we're fine.” Gerard groaned loudly in frustration.

“No, we are not fine!” Lindsey yelled at him as she put her hands on her hips, furious.

“Listen, I understand if you're pissed. lf you wanna talk about it, it's-” Ghoul was suddenly cut off when Lindsey's fist connected with his face, crunching his nose, “Ow! Ohh!” Ghoul went down on the floor slowly, whining.

“Oh!” Gerard groaned, eyes closed as he looked up at the ceiling for help. 

“Why did you do that?” Ghoul asked up at Lindsey as he curled into a ball and held his bleeding nose.

Lindsey looked down at him, at Gerard, and then stormed out angrily. Gerard closed his eyes for a minute, hearing Ghoul whimpering in pain, before he let out a deep breath. He walked over and grabbed Ghoul by the hand.

“Get up!” He stated firmly as he tugged, pulling him as Ghoul continued to whimper pathetically, slowly getting up from the floor, “God.” He muttered, curling Ghoul against him as he walked out towards the truck.

“I think I'm broken.” Ghoul groaned and Gerard merely scoffed and climbed onto the bed of the truck with ease. Turning to hold his hands out for Ghoul.

“You shut up.” Gerard whispered, “You're fine.” Ghoul let out a whimper as he took Gerard’s hands and hoisted himself up onto the truck before they both sat down.

~

 

“My God, I can't believe you just did that, Ghoul.” Gerard sighed unhappily as they were driving home, still sitting in the bed of the truck as Ghoul nursed his bloody nose.

“What was I supposed to do, huh? You stomped on my foot. I stood up. I said the first thing that came to me.” Ghoul argued before he put his purple bandana back up to his bloodied nose.

“This is a total disaster. You know we've destroyed Lindsey, right?” Gerard almost yelled.

“Forget Lindsey! Look!” Ghoul yelled back before he calmed and let out a playful whine, “Look it, Gee, look at my nose.”

Gerard let out a frustrated groan, “Ghoul, this is serious.”

 

Mikey was looking at them through the window of the backseat before he turned and stuck his head between his parents’ own, arms resting over the benchseat, “What do you think their kids are gonna look like?”

“Michael!” They exclaimed in horrified unison.

“I was just asking.”He looked between them as Donna lifted a handkerchief up to her nose just in case she’d burst into tears at the mere thought.

Ghoul lowered the bandana, his nose still leaking a torrent of blood, “So what do you wanna do? Do you wanna tell her the truth.”

“No,” Gerard shook his head vehemently, “No, n- no, w- we can't. It'll just make it worse. We just have to ride this out until the end of the week, that's it.” He seemed to be telling himself more than Ghoul, shaking his head as Ghoul nodded solemnly.

“Hmm. So you wanna stay engaged?” Ghoul asked and Gerard turned to look at him again, biting his lip.

“Please.” He begged desperately. 

“Okay.” Ghoul relented, looking away for a moment, “Can I get some tongue?”

“Oh, you-” Gerard shook his head and looked away and flipped his hand up dismissively, hitting Ghoul square in the nose.

“Ah!” Ghoul screamed out in pain.

“Oh, l'm sorry.” Gerard turned, realising, watching Ghoul whine, “l'm sorry. Are you okay? Sorry.” He asked frantically as he held the bandana to Ghoul's nose as he groaned loudly. The two of them crying in the darkness, one in agony and one with guilt.

~

Donna walked straight into the pantry of their house as they got home with her husband following her. She walked in, still in her long blue coat, her hand over her mouth, still reeling from the shock as Donald closed the door behind them. She looked over the rows of tins and food as though hoping it would give her an answer.

“We just can't let this happen.” Donald whispered.

“What can we do?” She replied pathetically.

 

“Well, uh,” Donald thought for a minute, “We can ground him.”

“What?” Donna asked outrageously, frowning at her husband as he let go of the door and stepped forward.

“Well, we're still his parents. Can't we do that?”

“He's rebelling, Donald.” She cried in exasperation, gesturing with her hands at him to get a grip, “lf we forbid it, he'll run off with him and we'll never see him again.” He nodded then.

They both took a deep breath when she spoke again, “Let's just calm down and deal with this like adults.” 

“Right, right.” Donald nodded, “You distract him. l'm gonna hit him over the head with a shovel.”

Outside, Ghoul was sitting on the porch steps, playing with his hat when he saw Dewees walking up to him with a beer in his hand, “Dewees.” He trailed off, “Hey, I guess it's Miller time, huh?” He asked as James leaned against the railing off the stairs, “Dude, you should be drinkin' Lite.”

Dewees merely laughed humourlessly and then sucked in a breath, “Look, you little son of a bitch, I can smell your shitty stink a mile away, so just stay clear of me, all right?” He continued to chuckle, the entire imagery somewhat menacing.

“So basically we're not gonna be hanging out?” Ghoul offered gingerly and when he saw the smile wipe from James's face, he slowly got up, “Okay, l'm sorry?”

He wandered away from Dewees and over to Henry who was sitting in his rocking chair on the porch in the corner looking disgruntled as he worked on a piece of wood, “Hey, can I whittle wood with you?”

“No.” Henry replied bitterly.

“Okay.” Ghoul shrugged and sat down in the other chair opposite him and continued to play with his hat.

Inside, Donna had shed her ocean blue coat and was now just in her floral dress again, standing in the kitchen impatiently, wringing her hands when Gerard walked in timidly and went to the fridge, “Honey, would you please tell me what's going on?” Donna asked.

“What?” Gerard asked as he grabbed a big bottle of juice.

“I mean, you bring home this boy you say you're marrying. You don't tell us anything.” Donna rambled as Gerard poured himself a glass of juice, “I didn't even know you were gay. Are you?”

 

“No!” Gerard scoffed out.

“Well, tell me please then. l really want to understand.” Donna begged from the other side of the island counter.

“It's not what you think.” Gerard took a sip of cranberry.

“Great! What is it then?”

“Look,” Gerard laughed nervously and turned to her, shrugging, “It's not that big a deal.”

“Not that big a deal?” Donna repeated incredulously as her son turned to close the juice and put it back in the fridge, “Getting married's not that big a deal? Honey, getting married is a very big deal.” Donna kept on as Gerard drained his glass, “We sent you away to college so you could have choices for your future, not to go and marry the first thing that comes along.”

“Thing?” Gerard turned again, appalled.

 

“Well, yes. He's... Weird.” Donna sighed loudly as she put her hands on the island counter.

Gerard scoffed breathily as he set his glass down and walked over to her, standing across from her, leaning on the counter, “You are so out of it, Donna.”

“I am not- What is this 'Donna” business?” She yelled heatedly, “I’m your mother!”

“And I’m an adult!” Gerard stomped before he turned and stormed out, leaving Donna standing there, frazzled and confused and still mid-gesture.

“Oh, well, uh, uh-” Was all Donna could manage as she looked at her husband for help. Donald let out a soft sigh and walked out of the kitchen and out of the front door. He closed it behind him and turned to see Ghoul sitting in a chair across from his own father.

 

“Oh, perfect timing. Listen. I got some amazing thoughts about this bachelor party.” Ghoul began, sitting forward.

“Never mind about that.” Donald walked closer and Dewees came to stand behind him, “I need to know what your plans are.”

 

“Well, actually, sir, I was thinkin' about stayin' in school for a couple more years.” Ghoul explained as he looked at Henry and then Donald, “You know, goin' into European Studies, buddy. I mean, cruisin' around Europe, backpacking, right? Munchin' that ch-ch-ch-cheese, a little vino.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now just a minute here. How do you propose… To support my son?”

Ghoul went blank as he felt all eyes in him, even Henry had set down his whittling on the table to examine him. Ghoul steeped his fingers nervously before he fiddled with one of his rings for a long time. Eventually he gave up and looked back up at an unimpressed Donald, “Well, what do you do?”

“I run this farm.” Donald stated as though it were obvious.

“There.” Ghoul shrugged, slouching down into the wicker chair with a smile, “I could do that.”

“Huh?”

“I mean, since I'm part of this family now.” Ghoul smiled, “It's tough, but I'll probably take over when you retire.”

 

Donald began laughing incredulously, staring at Ghoul in complete disbelief, “You wanna be a farmer?”

“I think l'm gonna be sick.” Henry muttered ruefully as he dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out a bottle of pills.

“Now look here, son.” Donald crouched down in front of Ghoul and looked him in the eye, “Farmin' is not like sittin' on your butt in school. Farming is hard work.”

Ghoul nodded solemnly, “Yeah, I know. I’m gonna do the nine-to-fiver.”

 

“Nine-to-fiver.” Donald repeated, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Uh-huh. Huh!” Ghoul nodded and chuckled impishly, grinning at Donald innocently.

“Nine to five.” Donald got up and looked at Dewees, still smiling, “You hear that, James? I think we got ourselves a farmer. You think you could show him the ropes a little bit tomorrow?”

The smile that spread on Dewees’ face was slow and menacing, “Oh, yeah. It would be my pleasure.” He dragged out the last word, imitating Ghoul.

“Now remember, we get started first thing in the morning.” Donald reminded Ghoul, leaning forward, still entertained.

“Cock-a-doodle-doo.”


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning Ghoul was asleep on the cot in Mikey's room. Mikey was asleep in his bed, the two of them snoring and blissfully unaware of the large farmhand that had snuck into their room at five in the morning. Ghoul lay on the small cot, still dressed in his lengthy blue floral kimono and his underwear. Dewees leaned over him slowly, grinning.

“Rise and shine, valentine.” He crooned menacingly and Ghoul frowned, groaning as he opened his eyes. It took him a second to register someone was there before he began screaming and sat up suddenly.

“Shh!” Dewees hissed as they both stood up slowly.

“Oh,” Ghoul leaned in, hugging James drowsily, filled with bleak relief, “I thought you were a burglar. Oh.”

“You have got to stop doin' that.” Dewees muttered disdainfully as he pushed Ghoul off of him. Ghoul laughed quietly and watched Dewees walk out for breakfast to let him get dressed.

Once Ghoul thought himself appropriately dressed in a luminescent pink longsleeve, a tie dye sleeveless hoodie over it and grey sweatpants all underneath the same pair of short denim overalls from last night. He popped his white cowboy hat on his head and his green boots on his feet and walked out.

He walked down into the kitchen and saw Donald at the table with Donna and James, drinking coffee and eating what looked like oatmeal and toast. 

“Morning.” He greeted and turned to see Gerard standing against the counter in a long lilac silk dressing gown.

“Hi.” Gerard greeted over his coffee mug and Ghoul shrugged and leaned in, kissing his cheek before Gerard stiffened and looked at him, “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“'Course.” Ghoul whispered and followed Gerard out of the kitchen and into the hallway where he turned and looked at Ghoul worriedly, “What?”

“You really don't have to do this.” Gerard muttered, concerned.

“I know. Look. It'll be fun.” Ghoul smiled, “And I'll learn something new, too.” 

Gerard eyed him for a moment, “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” 

“Okay. But at least eat something.” Gerard shooed him back towards the kitchen.

“Yes, ma'am.” Ghoul drawled in a thick Southern accent as he frog-marched into the kitchen and let out a chuckle.

~

 

Dewees and Ghoul had finished breakfast and were walking out into the farm now that the sun had properly dawned in the sky. 

“You gotta admit, man, it's kinda wild that I'm wheezin' on the farmer's son.” Ghoul stated simply as they turned and he saw what was in front of them. He eyed it for a moment before he realised the enormous pile of dark hay was actually a huge pile of hay and animal shit, “Mmm, steam.” He noticed the actual steak coming off of it and held his hands out carefully, “Like a Jacuzzi.” He exclaimed in a Southern accent before he pretended to side-spit.

“Yeah, sort of.” Dewees said with a grin, “Hop in!” He suddenly pushed Ghoul forward by the shoulder, shoving him face first into the manure.

“Ow!” Ghoul yelped as he landed, hearing James laugh behind him as he lifted his face up and turned to look at him.

“How you like that smell?” James asked rhetorically as Ghoul continued to slowly roll himself over and not vomit. He let out a yelping gasp as James brought a large tilling fork down into the manure beside him, spearing his precious cowboy hat right through the brim, “Dig in.”

“Okay.” Ghoul whimpered, still unmoving on his side, somewhat curled up in fear.

Once he had finished his manure duties, James had put an enormous bag of feed on Ghoul's shoulder and led him up to a large walkway between two feeding lines. 

“Put that grain into this trough.” James patted the bag on Ghoul's shoulder as he readjusted the heavy load.

“Uh-huh.” Ghoul muttered as he frowned in concentration. 

“All the way to the end.” Dewees stated smugly and Ghoul’s eyes followed the long line of troughs.

“All the way to the end?” He reiterated in disbelief, jaw dropping as he withheld a whimper, watching a few cows stick their heads through the gap in the fence to feed.

James suddenly grabbed the end of the bag and tugged on it, ripping it open with a force that had Ghoul yelling and losing his balance. He let out a cry of surprise as he tipped over into the trough, spraying feed everywhere as his feet went over his head and he landed on his back in the huge feeder. His legs in the air, the feedback on his chest and he grunted, trying to get up.

“Ain't farmin' fun?” James cackled as he walked off, leaving Ghoul to try and get out and feed the cows.

~

 

“Piggy! Piggy!” Ghoul crooned as he carried two buckets of slip in his hands, guided by Dewees towards the pig feeding trough.

“Hey. Pour that slop right in the trough there, son.”

“Right here?” Ghoul asked as he got to the long, low metal line against a fence.

*Yeah, right there. Whoa, whoa! Wait a minute!” Dewees suddenly grabbed Ghoul by the back of the hood when he saw him about to pour the pig slop, “Get on the other side. You don't wanna get trampled.”

“Thank you.” Ghoul smiled as he slid through the fencing to where he was meant to stand, safely away from the rampaging pigs.

“There you go. Don't get none of that on ya.” Dewees warned as Frank straightened up on the other side.

“Get over there, Hoss! Baby!” Ghoul called as he bent down and poured one of the buckets, “Ooh, yeah. I'm farminin' it now, James. Ooh, you just love your foody!” Ghoul crooned as he scratched behind one of the pig's ears whilst it ate hungrily.

“Yah, pig!” James called as he suddenly opened a gate from over the fence, “Yah!”

 

Ghoul turned to see that he had been sat in the middle of a pig run and there was a large pink potbelly pig running towards him. He yelped and put his hands out, “Aah! Nice piglet! Piggy!” The pig ran right under him and toppled him over, spinning him as it went by and he went feet over head, landing on his back in the wet mud, “Piggy!”

He let out a soft curse, scrambling to get up while he heard Dewees howling in the background. He turned and looked at Dewees with a grimace, still on his ass and elbows, “How you like farmin', city boy?” He continued to cackle as Ghoul got up slowly.

“All right, City,” Dewees was leading a rather floppy and dejected Ghoul towards a bright red piece of machinery, “Just climb up on this tractor here.”

Ghoul instantly lit up, “I used to have one of these when I was a little fella.” 

“That's wonderful. Get up there.” Dewees ordered as Ghoul put one foot on the side of the tractor and hopped up, sitting in the low seat, “I want you to fire it up. You gotta pull out the silver button, push the black 'un.”

“The black 'un?” Ghoul asked as he did what he was told, starting the tractor up as James held on to the end of a large trailer covered with square hay bales.

“Come on. I ain't got all day.” James gestured with his hand for Ghoul to reverse closer.

“Ooh!” Ghoul exclaimed excitedly at the roaring sound of the engine before he turned to look at James.

“All right. Now, drop it down into first gear there, down to your right.”

“Yeah?” Ghoul called as he did just that.

“And then bring her on back in. Give it plenty of gas.”

“Okay.” Ghoul muttered as he turned in his seat to reverse, hitting the gas pedal with his foot when the tractor suddenly lurched forward. It drove a couple feet and right through a nearby white fence.

“Stop, James! Dewees, stop it! Help!” Ghoul yelled in a frantic panic as Dewees howled with more laughter, standing there with his hands on his knees as Frank continued to maniacally drive the tractor.

“I forgot to tell ya there. That first gear can be just a little tricky.” Dewees muttered with a devilish grin as Ghoul plowed right into the side of more hay.

An hour later and Ghoul was on his knees in the barn, staring at a cow beside him with a bright red tint to his own cheeks, he reached out, patting the cow’s udder, “Kinda saggy there, Elsie.” He guffawed as he watched it away for a second, “I know a killer doctor in Beverly Hills…” The cow moved away and let out a low moo of disdain, “That will nip and tuck ya. Oh, just chill, buddy. Here we go. A little milk-age.” He put the bucket underneath the cow carefully and then hesitated to grab the udder, blushing deeply, “Check it.”

He squeezed gingerly, waiting, and nothing happened when a sudden flood of bright yellow rained down on him and his hat, hitting him in the face and down his front. He grimaced, withholding a gag at the strong urine smell, “Oops, wrong button.”

Donna stood on the porch, ringing a large rusted triangle that hung there, in her pastel blue apron, “Lunch!” She looked out for a moment and disappeared back into the kitchen where her husband and kids were sitting.

 

“Ol’ James told me the cow pissed on his head.” Donald managed in between sniggering laughs as he informed his father beside him. Henry shook with silent laughter as they started eating. The sound of Ghoul’s pleasant singing alerted them to his nearby presence.

 

Gerard turned from his seat at the table and smiled sweetly at Ghoul, who had stopped in the doorway to see them all sitting at a table covered in plates of food from fresh bread to chicken and salads, “Mmm, smells like down-home cookin'.”

“You okay?” Gerard asked, about to get up as he took in Ghoul's tagged and dirty appearance.

“Hey, hey, hey, I'm okay.” Ghoul held up his hands in surrender, “First day, first day. This barnyard stuff is not as easy as I thought, though.” He stated firmly as he walked to his seat and sat down across from Gerard, next to Mikey, as Donald began to laugh again, “I gotta hand it to you Mr. Way. You farm guys got it goin' on.”

 

“Yeah, well, I guess your farm days are about over, huh?” Donald asked as he chewed on a piece of his sandwich. Gerard looked between them curiously and back down.

“Nope. Just haven't found my groove yet.” Ghoul gestured with an arm motion at the word 'groove'.

“Groove?” Donald looked up with raised eyebrows, “You destroyed my fence. I lost half my chickens. You messed up my tractor. Listen, I figure your 'groove’ cost me about close to a thousand dollars this morning.” He exclaimed impatiently as Gerard continued to eat, grimacing to himself.

“Sir, I plan on paying you back for the damages.” Ghoul replied earnestly as he picked up a breadroll and looked at Donald.

“How are you gonna do that? You don't even have a job.” Donald laughed sarcastically and Gerard let out a quiet sigh and looked up at the ceiling.

 

*Well, yes, I do. I'm a farmer.” Ghoul nodded simply.

“Don't be callin' yourself a farmer.” Donald warned and Ghoul looked away as he began to eat, “And I gotta tell ya somethin' else. I mean, l'm sorry, but you- you just stink to high heaven.”

“Donald!” Donna exclaimed in a whisper from across the table in outrage before looking at Ghoul with a kind but apologetic smile

“Well, I've lost my appetite.” Donald stated simply and sat back in his chair.

“Will you just stop it?” Gerard finally spoke up, setting his cutlery down.

“I don't believe I was talkin' to you, young man.” Donald eyed Gerard firmly.

“Just leave him alone, Donald.”

“Don't call me…” He paused for a second as though completely at a loss for words at his eldest son, “Donald!”

“Donald.” Gerard replied snootily, looking his father right in the eye.

“I'm your father. I should be treated with a little respect around here.” Donald said around a small mouthful of food.

“Well, then how about treating me with some respect?” Gerard sneered, looking at his dad from out of the corner of his eye.

“Out of control.” Henry piped up from beside his oldest grandson.

 

“Well, look what you do when you make decisions. You throw it all away.” Donald gestured at Ghoul with chagrin.

“Donald, hush!” Donna whispered fiercely yet again.

“How would you know what I did?” Gerard asked breathily, leaning closer.

“Well, that tattoo gives me a pretty good idea.” Donald sneered sarcastically.

“Come on, Dad, it's just a rose.” Mikey offered up quietly.

“Out of control.” Henry gestured again and Gerard stopped eating for a second time, close to tears.

“It's not like he killed anyone.” Mikey added in with a small shrug, his tone calm and reasoned.

“You just stay out of this.” Donald pointed a finger at his younger son.

“Oh, I can't have an opinion?” Mikey asked in outrage, louder now.

“The day you make a contribution around here is the day you can have an opinion.” Donald shot back simply.

“Donald!” Donna hissed at him again.

“I contribute.” Mikey cried back, aghast at the insinuation.

“These children are out of control.” Henry stated simply at his son.

 

“These children are not out of control-” Donald argued.

“What's the deal?” Ghoul whispered at Gerard, who merely whispered back a soft 'I'm sorry'.

 

“-And they are my children, and you just stay out of this.” Donald pointed at his father, his voice rising higher.

 

“All right, let's just all settle down.” Donna finally called out, gesturing with both her hands up.

“I’m not gonna settle down.” Donald eyed her firmly.

“Donald, I want you to stop this right now.” Donna stood up, looking at her husband.

 

“I should have stopped it a long time ago, but I listened to you.” Donald retorted.

“Oh, and I didn't have a say in this?” Gerard stood up too.

“We made that decision together.” Donna reminded him with a hand on her hip.

“No, we don't make anything together.” Donald gestured airily. 

“And that's my fault?” Donna scoffed in frustration before everyone suddenly burst into loud arguments over each other, yelling and screaming at one another while Ghoul sat there in silence, staring at Gerard for a moment and shaking his head.

“Shh! Hey, hey, hey!” Ghoul got to his feet.

“What happened to my family?” Donna yelled at her husband.

“Shh! Please! Please!” Ghoul yelled finally, the room slowly going silent around him as he put his hands up slowly. He looked at Gerard and Donna who were still standing and at the other three men at the table who had remained seated. 

“Calm down.” Ghoul lowered his voice back to normal as Donna flopped back down in her seat, “You people are being so mean. Look at you.” Ghoul sighed and Gerard slowly sat down.

“Listen. Gee always told me about what a great family he had. And then I get here and I meet you guys and he's right. You guys are great.” Ghoul admonished Gerard scoffed unbelievably and rolled his eyes, “You're like the Waltons. And then I come in. And I wrecked your whole harmonious vibe. Look, it's obvious what the problem is. So l'm just gonna go.” Ghoul hung his head and slowly walked out of the door as Donald picked something out of his teeth. Gerard looked at his dad with outrage but Donald didn't budge. Ghoul paused in the doorway and looked back at them over his shoulder with hope in his puppy dog eyes.

The room remained silent and he let out a breath and walked passed into the next doorway that led into the dining room, he paused and turned to look at Donald again with the same sad expression, with Gerard's aghast face at his dad as well as he looked between his dramatically forlorn friend and his stubborn father.

“Forgot my stuff's upstairs.” Ghoul commented as he turned around and walked towards the stairs.

“Fine. l'm going too, then.” Gerard stood up and threw his napkin down beside his plate.

“Wait.” Donna called as Gerard took a step, her hands up, pausing Gerard and Ghoul who hadn't moved from the foot of the stairs, “Now this has gotten completely out of hand.” She got up and took Ghoul by the arm and led him back, “Come back in here. Donald.” She urged pointedly.

“All right, look,” Donald sighed as Donna slowly sat back down, “Nobody's goin' anywhere.”

“Phew.” Ghoul whispered under his breath and smiled happily as he swayed back and forth giddily.

 

“We're all just gettin' a little bit out of, uh uh, control here.” Donald stated and Henry looked at him pointedly, “Uh, Groin-”

“Ghoul!” Donna, Gerard and Mikey exclaimed at Donald heatedly.

“All right, all right! Ghoul.” Donald held his hands up again and grimaced before he looked up again, “Ghoul, we want you to stay.”

“Are you sure?” Ghoul asked as he offered Donald a set of enthusiastic finger guns.

“Pretty sure.” He said before he caught a glare from his wife, “I mean, I'm sure. I'm sure.” He amended.

“Okay, well, if you insist...” Ghoul trailed off slowly and he also held his hands up tentatively.

“No, no, no, I insist.” Donald stated.

“Well, I’d love to stay and chat, but I've got a lot of work to do. I'm gonna grab a couple little drumsticks for the road.” He muttered as he reached into the serving dish in the middle of the table and pulled out two pieces of chicken, “Sir, you're not gonna be disappointed.” Ghoul promised Donald.

“Wait. I'll give ya a hand.” Mikey got up from his chair, fixed his beanie and walked over to Ghoul.

“Really?” Ghoul and Donald both seemed surprised by Mikey's willingness to farm.

“Well, all right.” Ghoul smiled and handed his extra drumstick piece to Mikey.

“Thanks.” Mikey bit into it as Ghoul began to sing.

“Old MacDonald had a farm,” He sang as Mikey went passed before he looked at Donald, “Ee-yi-ee-yi-oh,” He winked and scuffed his heels on the floor as he walked passed the table, “And on that farm he had a kid with squishy puffy cheeks.” He laughed as he walked out of the kitchen behind Mikey.

“With a fft-fft here and a fft-fft there, there a fft, here a fft, everywhere a fft-fft.” The sound disappeared as the door closed behind them.

“I’m going to my room.” Gerard announced in a flat voice as he looked at his dad, his face tear-stained. He walked out of the dining room and up the stairs sullenly as Donna let out a long and exhausted sigh, her eyes still on her husband.

Mikey and Ghoul walked back to the barn and back to the cow that had previously peed on Ghoul. He stood back as Mikey stepped up to the cow and moved the bucket. 

“Okay, now look. Watch out for…” Ghoul bent down and pointed to an udder, “That button right there. Buddy, it is dangerous.” 

“Don't worry.” Mikey laughed softly, looking up at Ghoul, “I've done this before. Come on. Try it.”

Ghoul bit his lip and bent down beside Mikey with his hand out towards one of the udders, “Try it.” Mikey urged again.

Ghoul pulled away, blushing, “Look, I can't. I'm bashful. It's kind of like feelin' a dick for the first time.”

“It's not like a real dick.” Mikey exclaimed with reassurance again and Ghoul let out a guffaw.

“Huh! I've had my hands on some pretty freaky dicks back in L.A., man.” Ghoul admitted and Mikey eyed him. 

 

“Have you had your hands on my brother's?” He asked with a client that only a fourteen year old would possess in his brown eyes as his eyebrows jumped an inch.

Ghoul lifted his hand up a bit to stop him, his face solemn and disapproving, “Don't talk about your brother like that, man. Come on.”

“Sorry. Geez.” Mikey whispered softly and looked down at the cow, grabbing the bucket to move it before he began instantly milking the cow.

“Whoa!” Ghoul exclaimed excitedly with a small laugh, “Yeah!” He crowed as he patted Mikey stiffly on the top of the head, watching him avidly, “You're pretty good at this, Mikes.”

“Great. My life's ambition.” Mikey grumbled sarcastically as he continued.

“Okay, now let me try it.” Ghoul offered and Mikey looked up and let go before Ghoul reached in with a hand on each part of the udder like Mikey had done, “What- Is there, like, a special technique, man?”

“Yeah, start at the top…”

“Uh-huh.” Ghoul muttered as he did just that.

“-And squeeze it, and then go down all the way.” Mikey smiled as Ghoul instantly got it, milking the cow himself in an instant.

“Wow, you're right. It's not like a real dick.” Ghoul replied happily and he and Mikey looked at each other, nodding in agreement.

“Yeah.”


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning Ghoul was up early, a smile on his face as he happily hammered away, fixing Donald's fence like he had promised. Sure, the wood was somewhat skew but it was intact and sturdy with a thousand nails keeping it in place. He got up from his crouched position at one of the fence posts and looked over his work. He followed the plank of wood to it's other end and crouched down, he picked up the end of the plank and lifted it up to where it needed to be set before he began hammering yet again. He knew he had other duties to get to, duties he had done yesterday, but this was more important to him.

Once he had finished repairing the fence he had wrecked yesterday with the tractor, he decided to first feed the cows. And he knew exactly how he was going to get it done in no time. He stood at the top of the inclined hill between the two rows of long troughs and slid on a pair of ski goggles. He bent down, adjusting the straps of his rollerblade's to make sure they were nice and tight. He straightened up again and pulled the end tabs on the two huge sacks of feed he had tied to his back.

“Here it is!” He crowed happily as he  skated down the hill, spreading the feed as he went, “There are your vittles! Come and get it, baby! lt's chow time!” Ghoul slid down the hill with a grin, not realising that Donald had come passed the feed row on his tractor, watching him with intrigue before he drove off again.

Ghoul got to the end of the row, triumphant, and turned around to see the cows eating. He lifted his mask up and shed the two empty bags from his back. He yanked off his rollerblades and set them aside before he trotted off to go and feed the pigs. 

He grabbed the same two buckets from yesterday and filled them with the same slip and leftover vegetables and carried them over to the short trough. He looked up at Dewees solemnly and slid through to the other side of the fence before he poured the first bucket in and watched them eat.

“Oh! Hey, boys. Come on, eat 'em up.” He crowed happily, still aware of James nearby. He was standing, pouring the second bucket in, when he sneakily turned to eye Dewees who had his hand  on the fence.

“Sic him, pig!” Dewees yelled as he opened the fence and let the same pig loose from yesterday.

“Come on, Porky!” Ghoul exclaimed as he crouched down as the pig charged at him. Ghoul jumped up and sat on the pig, spinning as he did so, and rode the large pig until it ran toward the fence. Ghoul let out a chuckle and looked behind him, “Back it, dude. Reverse. Towards that way. Come on.” He yelped as the pig turned around and continued running back in the other direction. Ghoul let out a loud crow, holding on to his white cowboy hat, grinning impishly when he saw James’ crestfallen face, “James! Check on it, buddy!”

“Sometimes that boy just chaps my hide.” James muttered heatedly as he stepped off of the box and walked away from the fenced gate. Ghoul gave the pig an affectionate scratch behind the ear as he climbed off of the large animal, pouring the last bit of corn slop into the trough.

He took the buckets back to the shed where he had found them before he stopped and eyed the large pile of manure that he hadn't gotten to yet. He  grimaced uneasily and walked over to it, pulling his purple bandana out  of his pocket. He grabbed a clothespin from his pocket as well and pinned it over his nose before he tied the bandana over the bottom half of his face and began piling the disgusting mess into a large metal container with a deep shovel.

He finished the last bit from yesterday quicker than he had expected and threw the shovel on top of it before he threw his arms up in triumph, “Yeah! Oh, yeah!”

He carefully pulled the bandana down around his neck and pried off the back end of the clothespin, wiggling his nostrils for a moment. 

“Urgh. Jesus.” He grimaced at the smell as it hit him and he waved his hand in front of his face, stifling a cough as he leaned against the barrel.

He turned, letting out  a hefty sigh, when he caught sight of a large piece of red machinery covered in an old tarp, “What... Is that?”

He walked over to the red metal ladder that was uncovered, the tall objected  attached to the side of whatever enormous vehicle it was. He grabbed the 

sides of the ladder and hoisted himself up, climbing up slowly until he crawled into the cockpit, pulling the taro down over the side of it to hide himself.

“Hmm. Mischief.” He chuckled as he closed the door behind him and sat down in the driver's seat, “Huh! Ah, look at this thing. lt's like a big video game.” He commented to himself as he put a gloved hand on what looked like a joystick.  

His eyes roving over the buttons and the steering wheel, “Stick shift. One, two, three.” He muttered as he slid the gearshift into first before he spied an old carrier case filled with cassette tapes. He grabbed one and looked it over, “A little music. 'John Denver’. Hmm. Where can I stick this?” He asked as he looked for what could possibly be a stereo, before he found it in the ceiling just above the rearview mirror. “Oh yeah, there it is. Uh-huh. Just slide it right there.” He pushed the tape into the player and waited but he was met with silence, “Doesn't work. Gotta turn it on. And then up.” He found the ignition in the side of  the steering wheel and turned the keys slowly, when the sounds of the music played out from above, making him jump, “Oh cool.”

He pushed the gearshift again and the  machine started to whir, the engine drowned out by John Denver. Ghoul was in his own world, pretending to be some fighter pilot in a plane, shooting down  enemies as he played with the stick shift and pressed all of the buttons to fire.

Ghoul cackled happily to himself within the enormous machine when the taro was slowly pulled from above, most likely having gotten caught on something.

“Aah! Aaah!” Ghoul screamed out when he realised he was moving, the enormous front end of the vehicle equipped with  large spiked ends that glinted in the sun, Ghoul couldn't help the wide grin on his face as he screamed and laughed, “Aaaaah!”

Just then Donald came out of the barn, looking around when he saw James on the tractor a few feet away, still unaware that Ghoul was driving his brand new combine toward his corn field.

“Damn it!” He huffed as he took off running up to his farm hand, “James, damn it, I told you to watch him. That's a two-hundred-and-fifty thousand dollar machine.” Donald pointed out to Ghoul and James turned in confusion.

“Not anymore, it ain't.” Dewees muttered as he climbed off of the tractor and ran after Donald who was chasing after Ghoul who had driven over an empty field and was now heading into a thriving corn field.

“Whoo-hoo!” Ghoul cackled, “Thank God l'm a country boy.” He sang along to the chorus of the song before he continued  with his own monologue as he drove through the thick field, “Cuttin’ some corn. Cuttin' some corn. Can l get some butter, please?”

“Hey, come back here!” Donald yelled as he ran into the field, his arms out with James a few feet behind, “Damn it, what's that kid's name?” Donald grunted as they hurdles through the mowed down husks.

“Sometimes he answers to 'asshole’.” James called out heavily

“Country boy, Well, l got me a fine wife l got me old fiddle l know it now. Cakes on the griddle?” Ghoul sang along as he bounced in the seat of the huge corn-rower and danced along, steering it along.

“Don't drive across those rows!” Donald called out, despite realising Ghoul couldn't  hear him from inside the loud cab.

“Funny, funny riddle, Thank God l'm a country boy.” Ghoul sang loudly as he turned the machine slowly, “Ya-hoo! Billy Ray Cyrus eat your heart out!” He crowed before laughing.

“Come on, James!” Donald yelled as he continued to run.

“l ain't no jogger!” James panted before he slipped on a corncob and fell over onto his back with a yelp. 

“Ohhh, U-turn!” Ghoul muttered as he did a wide turnaround in the combine harvester.

“Whoa!” James cried as he finally got up off the ground with Donald nowhere in sight. He looked around aimlessly

“Look out, James. l'm gonna plow ya!” Ghoul called out of the window once he had done a successful turn and was now going back the way he had come, riding after James.

“Oh fuck, no!” James exclaimed in fright and began running back towards the farm with Ghoul howling behind him.

Ghoul cackled menacingly as he chased his tormenter, tongue sticking 9ut and legs bouncing happily, “Yeah! Whoo-hoo! Come back, Dewees. We're a team! 'Member?”

“Oh, l hate that guy! l hate him!” James screamed angrily as he ran through the pathway of plowed corn.

A plane came from overhead, a crop-sprayer in the brightest yellow colour that flew low. Ghoul watched it go by overhead as he sang, waving at them in hopes that they'd see.

They didn't see him in particular, but what they did see as they flew overhead were two  men running out of the field in front  of a combine harvester that had gone  and written the word 'Ghoul’ in a cursive flourish in the crops.

And it was impressive.

Ghoul made it out of the field when the song ended, driving through the path he had made for himself with a grin on his face. He stopped the large machine in the backyard and killed the engine. He stepped out of the  cab onto the small platform and took in a deep breath as Donald and James came racing around the corner.

He climbed down a couple steps and jumped down onto the ground  as James got to him, “She drives pretty good, but the first gear's a little bit tricky.” He stated as he hung the keys in front of Dewees’ sour face. James angrily grabbed the keys as Ghoul turned on his heel, grabbed his hat and sauntered off dramatically. With Donald smugly  trying to hide his smiling as he followed Ghoul inside the house.

~

Later that night Ghoul had finished in the shower and had gone to get his toothbrush, drying himself off before he wrapped himself up in a bathrobe. He made small talk with Mikey before he stuck his toothbrush into his mouth and walked back out to the bathroom.

He saw a figure in the bathroom, bent over the bathtub in a fluffy pink towel to towel their hair and he grinned, opening the door further before he snuck inside to sneak up on Gerard. He tiptoed into the steamy room carefully before he hugged him from behind, “Sweetie!”

“Oh- Oh!” Donna yelped out frantically and stood up, clutching the towel to her as Ghoul jumped away in fright, realising his mistake.

“Oh, my God. I'm sorry.” He held his hands up and looked away, cringing at himself, “Hey. God. I thought you were Gerard.”

“Well, I'm not. So if you don't mind-” Donna muttered, flustered, and turned to hang up her towel.

Then Ghoul noticed Donna properly for the first time not in a baggy sweater or dress and he leaned back somewhat to look at her, “Oh, I don't wanna be rude or anything, but, Mrs. Way, you're givin' me a semi.”

“Well, thank you very much, but, uh, I really-” She tucked her towel in tighter

“Wait. Can I ask you a question?” Ghoul asked with his hands out.

Dinna sighed, turning to face him, “I suppose.”

“Why don't you, um, put a little makeup on? I mean, look how- You're a beautiful lady.” He stroked her arm with a small smile, “I mean, look at this. Enhance your outer beauty with your inner beauty.” He stroked her cheek with the back on his fingers and her forehead.

She stared at him for a  long time as she tucked her blonde hair behind her ear before she pursed her lips, looking resigned, “What for?”

“You act like you're sixty or something. Where I come from, nugs stay active 'til they're senile, man. You are ripe, Mom. Look at you.” He gestured to her as she scoffed lightly and began brushing her hair, “You're like a peach on a windowsill. Look at that. Look at the package. You are nasty.”

“Nasty?” She jumped and turned to look at him with a playful scowl.

“Ah-ah!” Ghoul snapped  his fingers above his head, “Girlfriend. Girlfriend.”

“Don't be ridiculous, Ghoul.” She tried to get him to stop and he put his hands on his hips, “I don't believe you.” 

“Look at this!” He continued to gesture with his hand  at her as she turned him to push him out of  the bathroom, “Come on, you're getting excited.”

“No, no, absolutely not.” She scoffed.

“I can see it! You're getting excited.” He argued ash she gently pushed him out of the bathroom and held her towel.

“It's ridiculous.” She went to close the door.

“You liked it.” He tried one more time.

“Thank you very much.” She closed the door in his face and he let out a sigh, leaning against the door.

Donna walked back to the mirror as Ghoul continued to talk through the door, “Look, you got a decent base goin'. You got a lot to work with.”

“Go away, Ghoul!” She called out incredulously.

“Just give me five minutes… And if you don't like my work we'll go back to same old Donna. Come on. Please.” He crooned the last word slowly and waited, leaning against the door. Slowly, the bathroom door opened and Donna peered out but her eyes were cast elsewhere and away from him. She finally looked at him and Ghoul broke into a grin as she smiled sheepishly, “Ahhh, what did I say?” He chuckled as she smiled back at him.

Downstairs Donald was already dressed and in the hallway, grabbing his keys, “Donna!” He walked to the stairs, “Come on, let's go, everybody. We're gonna be late!”

Gerard walked out of his room and down the stairs, slowing down as he came closer to his dad. They eyed each other carefully. Gerard had on his black platform shoes, a pair of black tights, a long  and tight red top that could have been a dress, and he had topped it all off with Ghoul’s short black and red kimono that he had worn when they first met.

“Oh, well, that's quite an outfit.” Donald commented as he stepped aside for his oldest son to pass. Gerard tucked a piece of his red hair behind his ear and looked at his dad.

“Look... I'm sorry.” He whispered.

“No, uh,” Donald looked down, “I'm the one that should be sorry, Gerard. It's just that, well, I've been a little bit out of sorts lately…” He looked up, “And, um, well, I just want you to know that I'm still… Just real proud of you, son.” 

Gerard smiled, “Thanks…” Donald smiled as Gerard went passed him, “Dad.” Donald smiled even wider at the return of his usual nickname.

He looked back up at the stairs for his wife that had yet to show up, “Donna, let's go!”

“You go on, Donald.” Donna called out to her husband as she stood in the doorway.

“Go get me a bustier.” Ghoul ordered from her as he walked into her room with some of his stuff.

“Bustier.” She whispered as she turned and began digging through her chest of drawers while Ghoul sat himself down on the bed with his stuff as well as trash bags of old clothing, “Ghoul and I will be right behind you in the Ford.” Donna called out to her husband as she held up a white corset and looked at it in the mirror, “I'm changing!”

~

“Oh, heel, toe, do-si-do, Come on, baby let's go boot scootin', Yeah, Cadillac Blackjack Baby, meet me out back, We're gonna boogie.” The singer crooned from atop the short stage as a country band played behind him while everyone in the bar square danced in sync. Even Gerard had shed his kimono and had grabbed his dad to dance amongst the others, “Well, get down, turn around, Go to town, Boot scootin' boogie. I said get down turn around, go to town. Boot scootin' boogie. Well, get down, turn around. Go to town. Boot scootin' boogie.”

Ghoul had walked into the bar then and looked around, with Donna shyly hiding behind the swing doors, peering in. He tried to pull her in but she refused, blushing. He sounded around and grabbed the door and opened it, pulling her into the bar. It was then that Gerard noted the flash of colour as they turned and he stopped in surprise, tapping his dad beside him.

Donna stood there nervously beside Ghoul, her blonde hair up and curled, dressed in a tight bubblegum pink bodice, a bright purple floral skirt that went to her knees and a pair of nude heels. She turned as Donald and Gerard saw her and tried to walk out but Ghoul pushed her gently back in. Donna waved nervously at her husband as Ghoul flexed his arms behind her smugly.

Donald looked flustered, looking around as Gerard continued to stare in pleasant surprise, tucking his hair back again. Gerard pushed his dad forward with a nudge and Donald took a couple of nervous steps.

“Come on, y'all. This is the last slow one.” The singer of the band crooned into the  microphone behind them before the low whine of a guitar began to play.

“What did you do?” Donald asked softly as he reached her and Donna looked up at him with a nervous smile

“Do you like it?”

“Uh, well, it- it's a little, uh-” Donald stammered as a young man in a plaid shirt and white hat came up to them.

“Excuse me, would you like to dance?” He asked Donna and she smiled at him politely.

“Hell, no. Get outta here.” Donald stated outright, “Sheesh.” He muttered as the guy walked away dejectedly. Donna put her arm around her husband's, linking them together as they started laughing softly

“Hey.” Donna greeted as her oldest son walked passed.

“You're a hottie.” Gerard called to her over his shoulder as he walked towards Ghoul.

“Oh, my, thank you.” Donna waved after him as Donald walked them into the dancing crowd, “You don't like it, do you?”

“No, I think I…” Donald cleared his throat, “I- Uh- Well, I- I think I like it a lot.” He grinned sheepishly as she put her hand on his chest and they began to dance slowly.

Gerard reached Ghoul and took in the bright purple sheer bodysuit he was wearing beneath a colourful open waistcoat and a pair of navy and dark purple striped pants. Not to mention the yellow platforms and the scarf he had tied as a belt.

“You're a genius.” Gerard called happily as he stood beside Ghoul and looked at his parents.

“So you're saying you likes?” Ghoul asked as he put his arm around Gerard.

“I likes.” Gerard nodded breathily as he watched his parents dancing in a wide circle in between all the couples who were dancing and watching them.

“Keep that breathless charm.” The singer crooned into the mic.

“Over here, Edgar.” A woman nearby turned her husband's head away from Donna as she spun passed with her husband, a twinkly smile on her face. 

“Check out the wood that I created for him.” Ghoul exclaimed as he and Gerard walked further into the bar, Gerard laughed and nodded delightedly as they started dancing together as well.

“Hello.” Gerard greeted an old friend

“Hey, good to see-” Ghoul greeted when he was suddenly tapped on the shoulder.

“Excuse me.” She called and he turned to see Lindsey standing there.

“Ow! Ow!” Ghoul exclaimed and immediately sank back onto the floor against a haystack, “Don't hit me! Don't hit me!”

“Come on, relax. I just came by to apologize.” Lindsey stared at him with  wide eyes and at Gerard again.

“Oh, right.” Ghoul muttered dubiously in an English accent, arm  still up as a shielded defense with his leg somewhat stuck out to keep Lindsey at bay. And Gerard was giggling as he stood beside Lindsey, looking at her as she spoke to Ghoul.

“No, I'm serious.” She held a hand out to Ghoul, “I feel really bad about what I did, you know? Yeah, and I want to make it up to you. Come on.” She took Ghoul's hand and helped him up.”

“Really?” He asked as he straightened up.

“Yeah yeah.” Lindsey patted his shoulder.

“What did ya have in mind?”            

“Well, I was thinkin' about throwing you a bachelor party. You know, have a few laughs and stuff.” Lindsey offered with a smile, “What do you think? Come on.”

Ghoul looked at Gerard for a second and back at Lindsey, “I'd really like that a lot, Lindsey.”

“I'll pick you up tomorrow night.” Lindsey held out her hand and Ghoul shook it firmlt.

“Cool. Wait, watch this.” Ghoul did a fluid shake of his arms as he stepped in with his arms out.

“What? Oh, yeah? No-” Lindsey protested but Ghoul hugged her anyway 

“Ah, buddy, hug? Dude, I hug my friends.” He squeezed her gently, patting her back as Gerard laughed, a hand over his mouth.

“Thanks, dude.” Ghoul sighed as he stepped back.

“All right.” Lindsey sighed softly, awkwardly.

“Lindsey, it's really cool of you.” Gerard touched her arm gently.

“Well, you know, I care a lot about you…” Lindsey turned to face him, still smiling,  “And I just want you to be really happy.”

“Thanks.” Gerard squeezed her hand before she turned and walked off to her friends at the bar.

“What a splendid person.” Ghoul urged as Gerard stood beside him, beaming.

“All right, let's have some real dancin', gang. Square 'em up.” A new singer announced on the stage, an older and smaller gentleman, “Well, gonna bow to the partner. Then you turn and bow to the corner of the hall. Go into the middle with a cowboy yell.” The crowd followed his instructions as they danced in groups.

At the bar, Lindsey slowly sidled up to  Jamia who had been standing there all dressed up and alone.

“I heard about the other night.” Jamia smiled at Lindsey and toyed with the collar of her shirt.

“Hey, hey, come on, come on, please.” Lindsey gushed her softly, blushing at the memory of being rejected so early, Jamia shrugged her off and looked away, “Listen, I need a favor.”

Jamia’s eyes widened and she turned  to look at Lindsey again, “Here?”

“No. Come on.” Lindsey sighed when she realised what Jamia was implying, “Will you help me?”

“You comin' over tonight?” Jamia asked teasingly.

“Yeah.” Lindsey shrugged nonchalantly and Jamia nodded in agreement, biting her lip as she looked at everyone dancing.

“I'll wait up for you.” Jamia smiled seductively before she sauntered off. Ghoul had noticed them, and had been staring at Jamia with a kind smile. Jamia walked away from Lindsey and caught Ghoul's eye, flashing him a beautiful smile before she walked off. 

Ghoul had his arm around Gerard as he looked at Lindsey, waving at her with his fingers wiggled, his face pulled into an overly adorable croon. Lindsey mimicked the gesture back at Ghoul with less enthusiasm but smiled all the same with Dewees watched them from a seat away.

“Ghoul, look at them.” Gerard whispered as he gazed fondly at  his parents, swaying in Ghoul's arms slowly as he smiled  and looked at Donna and Donald as well.

“Cool parents.” He whispered in Gerard's ear and Gerard laughed.

“Hey, Slick.” Dewees put his arm around Lindsey’s shoulder, “You gettin' mighty friendly with old City over there, ain't you?”

“So?” Lindsey asked as Dewees took a drink of beer, “I'm throwin' him a bachelor party.”

“What?” Dewees asked curiously, horrified, as Lindsey walked off with a wide grin.

“Farmin' girl promenade and go 'round the world. Get back home and when you get there. Join up hands. Circle to the left. Left allemande then promenade. Keep going, gang. We'll be right back.” The old man on stage called into the mic as everyone continued to dance in their small groups. Even Gerard and Ghoul had joined in with their own whimsical version on the side, giggling to themselves “Keep on going. I'm gonna get some punch.”

The older man on stage had walked off  and walked right next to Ghoul, getting himself a drink. Ghoul looked at him curiously.

“Hey, Horace.” Gerard greeted him.

“Watch this.” Ghoul whispered before he snuck onto the stage and grabbed the microphone, dancing on the spot as he swayed his shoulder, “Now grab a nug whose cones are busty. Wheeze her gig and make her crusty.” He called into the microphone and people turned to look at him as he laughed, “Grab your dude. Don't use roughness. Move in close and groove his buffness. Buff the wood, buff the wood. Come on, buff the wood.” He called out and people started to dance, and old couple began grinding their asses together before everyone joined, laughing, “B-B-B-B-B-B-B-Buff the wood.” Horace was suddenly on the stage beside Ghoul and he tried to take the microphone back, “What? Dude, get off.”

“Give me the mike.” Horace ordered and Gerard put a hand to his face, facepalming at his pretend fiancé.

“They're enjoying themselves. Come on.” Ghoul stomped a foot.

“This is square dancing.” Horace argued as he put a hand on Ghoul's shoulder.

“I don't care if it's, like, circular dancing, bro. Come on. Look, they're havin' a blast.” He gestured to the audience “Are you guys havin' fun?”

“Yeah!” They all called, dancing in a mish-mosh of trains and congas.

“Man, come on. Horace.” Ghoul tried again, pouting.

“This is square dancing. No, go on. Get outta here.” Horace tried to chase him off the stage.

“Dude, I'll go off.” Ghoul threatened playfully, “Come on, buddy.” He turned to the crowd again, “Do you want to do it some more?”

“Yeah!” They called out, hands in the air, and  Ghoul turned pleadingly to Horace. 

Horace merely sighed and handed the mic over before he walked aside, “What the hell.”

“Cool. Thanks.” Ghoul took it, “lf your gal is finger lickin', Come on now and do the funky chicken. Yeah! Whoo!” He crowed as they all did as he told them to, dancing the chicken and flapping their bent arms as he did his own, “Now spin together if your nuglet's willin’? Shake your booty then start chillin'. Say, 'Chill’.”

“Chill!” The crowd called.

“Say, 'Chill, chill’.”

“Chill, chill!” The copied loudly and Gerard let out a  disbelieving laugh from where he stood at the table of drinks, shaking his head. Ghoul let out a yelp before he dove into the crowd, jumping into them as they passed him around over their heads.

Gerard watched in awe and slight concern as he crowd surfed for a moment, yelling profanities over their clapping and the band's country music.

They set him back on the stage and he looked at Horace, “Step up to bat, brother. Go with it, man. Just do it. Feel the breeze and let it fly.” He gestured our over the crowd and Horace shrugged, “Ah, yeah.”

Horace stepped up and took a run for it, jumping into the crowd. But no one  caught him, they hadn't noticed him jump and he fell right into the front gap of the crowd and onto the floor with a loud thud. Everyone looked down to see if he was okay, Ghoul winced and let out a  hiss, peering over as Gerard craned his neck.

“Horace, are you okay?”

Horace appeared then, standing up with his arms up and a grin on his face. Everyone clapped and cheered for him, even Gerard and Ghoul on stage.

“Yeah! Oh, Horse, you're the man!” He called out and hugged him.


	11. Chapter 11

After the party everyone was on their way inside the house. Henry was sitting whittling on the porch and he looked up as Donna and Donald were walking arm in arm up the path.

“Oh, Bull.” Donna gushed at her husband, his coat draped over her shoulders, and Donald laughed softly, devilishly as he helped her up the stairs, “Oh, Dad, you missed one heck of a party.” Donna smiled at her father-in-law.

Henry whistled softly at her unusual appearance, smiling somewhat, “What was it, a Halloween party?”

“Dad.” Donna frowned and out her hand on her hip with playful teasing, looking at her husband with a small scoff. 

“Yeah, I tell you,” Donald out his hands in his pockets, “I’m sure worn out. Think I’m gonna go on upstairs and get a little shut-eye.” Donald announced as Donna hugged the supporting pillar of the porch with a girlish smile on her face as she blushed, knowing full well her husband was not even remotely tired. He looked at her, “You coming up?” He whispered under his breath.

“Yeah.” She replied just as softly, giggling as Donald out his arm around her and led her to the door.

“We need to talk, Junior.” Henry called outright at his son.

Donald stopped at the door, his hands on his wife's hips, and he looked at his father, “Uh- Uh, Dad, give me a little rain check on that, okay?” He offered with a stern look as Donna laughed softly, waved at her father-in-law and walked inside. Henry's face pulled in surprise as Donna led his son inside of the house and he realised what he had almost interrupted. 

He heard the door close as headlights caught his attention. He looked up from the piece of wood he had been carving to see the red pick up truck pulling up next to his son's station wagon. Henry had been wondering where his grandson was and it was clear now that they had obviously taken separate vehicles to the bar.

“Ah, what-” Ghoul laughed as he climbed out of the car, watching Gerard skip lightly to the gate.

“Oh! Whew!” Gerard sounds around, still exhilarated from their dancing.

“Did you see that Horace, man?” Ghoul asked, still astounded by the old man who had stage-dived and lived to tell the tale.

“You had Wasco rockin’!” Gerard announced flamboyantly as he opened the gate and walked into the yard with Ghoul right behind him.

“Forget about Wasco.” Ghoul swung the gate closed before he grabbed Gerard and nudged him playfully with his elbow, “Think about your parents right now. I mean, you dad's gettin' busyy.” Ghoul slowed down the last word for emphasis and Gerard let out a breathy laugh as he walked beside Ghoul with a bright smile on his face.

“I know. I have never seen them like this before.” Gerard admitted and looked at Ghoul, who was smiling smugly beside him, “Oh... Thanks, Ghoul. You really saved me this week.”

“Gee, I'm a friend… And I'm at your service.” Ghoul replied softly, smiling sweetly at his friend as he put an arm around Gerard's waist and pulled him closer, neither of them aware of Henry watching from his chair on the porch.

“If it wasn't for you, I'd probably be engaged right now.” Gerard admitted as he got to the porch steps.

Ghoul came to a stop beside Gerard  and turned to face him, looking at him  with a solemn expression, “You are engaged.”

“Oh, yeah.” Gerard whispered softly, his bright smile softening on his features as they looked at each other for a long second. They each took a step closer, Gerard leaning closer to Ghoul's face which- thanks to his platform shoes- was about the same height.

Ghoul leaned in, his stomach churning with butterflies, his lips inches from Gerard's.

“Don't mind me, nobody else does.” Henry called out and Ghoul turned, looking behind him at the old man who had effectively stopped their kiss in it's tracks. Henry smiled somewhat at them and went back to carving nonchalantly.

Gerard smiled sheepishly, “Goodnight, Ghoul.” He whispered and turned, walking up the stairs onto the porch, leaving Ghoul behind with a hammering heart and a wide smile on his face.

“Oh. Thank you, Pappy.” Ghoul turned to Henry, feeling more than cockblocked.

“Good night, Pappy.” Gerard whispered  at his grandfather before he walked into the house.

Henry kissed his thumb in the gesture he shared with his oldest grandson, “Good night, Shortcake.” He called after Gerard as Ghoul slowly walked up the porch steps.

Ghoul got to the front door and stopped, turning to sheepishly look at Henry.

“Oh, shit.” Henry sighed, looking away when he realised Ghoul wanted his attention. Ghoul walked over slowly as Henry looked down, pushed his glasses up on his nose and continued to carve with his knife.

Ghoul sat himself down in the wicker chair beside Henry and looked him over, “Can I please whittle wood with you?” Henry looked up with disdain and disgust painted in his face, his wise eyes on Ghoul for a long moment as Ghoul pouted, sinking into the chair.

“Alright.” Henry eventually relented and Ghoul sat up in surprise as Henry gestured to a large pile of chopped timber, “Grab a piece of wood.”

Ghoul got out of his chair as Henry set down the small duck he had been carving. Ghoul walked across and grabbed a thick piece of pine trunk, “You know I majored in Creative Woods, right?”

“Uh-huh.” Henry sighed.

“Second freshman year.” Ghoul explained matter-of-fact as he backed himself up and sat down with the enormous piece of wood on his lap.

“Here.” Henry held out a small pocket knife to Ghoul, “Huh!” Henry scoffed at the large piece that Ghoul had picked out.

It was upstairs where Gerard was getting undressed, his mind racing as he thought about Ghoul and how they had almost kissed. It was upstairs where Mikey lay on his bed playing a video game. 

And it was upstairs where Donald had gotten dressed into his pajamas and was now pushing his small single bed up against his wife's, joining them together for the first time in so long. It was then that the bathroom door opened and he turned to see his wife dressed in a white silk chemise that he had never seen before. He grinned at her, pushing  the bed up against the wall beside her own as she closed the bathroom door behind her. Donald crawled into the bed, the grin still ever present, and patted the bed in front of him as he eyed his wife.

~

The next morning Gerard stood in the kitchen with his mother, a smug smile on his face as he sliced up some fruit into a bowl. He watched his mom pour orange juice with a girly blushing grin in her face that somehow spread to his own lips as well 

“Sounded like you and Donald were gettin' busy.” He commented softly as he took a step closer to his mother. She looked up with horror.

“Gerard!” She whispered back with stern disapproval and then eyed Mikey who had slid into a chair  with his video game.

“Mm-hmm.” Gerard merely replied smugly.

“What?” Donna asked and Gerard shrugged playfully, gesturing with his hands out. Donna laughed at her oldest son, a sweet but pink-cheeked smile of adult guilt on her face, “Oh, honey, I don't believe you.” She punched Gerard's arm  and he couldn't help the giggle that left him as he continued slicing the fruit.

It was then that Ghoul walked into the kitchen, sauntering passed Gerard before he put a hand on Gerard’s ass and gave it a firm  but nonchalant squeeze as he walked passed.

Gerard jumped in surprise at the confident touch and turned to look at him with wide eyes, “Ghoul!”

“Thanks for leaving me with a semi last night.” Ghoul announced simply as Donna walked over to start cooking breakfast. Gerard eyed Ghoul with disapproval as he grabbed  a spoon to stir, “It’s okay, it's okay. Mikey hooked me up…” Ghoul jumped onto the counter and sat on it as he poured himself a cup of coffee, “With last month's issue of playboy. The poisons have left the building.”

“Thank God.” Gerard set the fruit salad on the table as he grinned at Ghoul.

“Good morning, everybody.” Donald announced as he walked into the kitchen.

“Morning, Dad.” Mikey greeted as Gerard smiled at his father.

“Beautiful day.” Donald muttered softly as he walked up to his wife who was bent over the stove to light it. He squeezed her hip and she jumped up with a yelp.

“Oh!” She shrieked as he wandered off, “Bull!” She gasped at him in genuine disbelief at how forward he was being. She went pink as she saw Ghoul grinning from the perch on the counter.

“Ooh, Donald.” Ghoul crooned softly, smugly, as he took a sly sip of coffee, eyeing his pretend in-laws. Donna held a hand over her mouth at Ghoul's teasing and turned back to the stove.

“What is that one?” Gerard asked when he saw Mikey on a new type of game on his handheld.

“Fishing.” Mikey shrugged as Gerard sat down in the seat beside him at the table and peered over, “It's called ‘Whopper’.”

“Don! Dig the gear.” Ghoul commented when he saw Donald dressed in a thick khaki vest, “Big fishing expedition, huh?”

Donald grinned as he filled a large flask with juice, “Oh, yeah.”              

“Mmm.” Ghoul swallowed a mouthful of coffee as Donald walked closer to grab a mug, “Can I come?”  
            
“Um- Oh, I don't think so.” Donald trailed off as he took the pot of coffee from Fgoul. Donna turned around from her place at the stove to look at her husband.

“Oh, come on, honey. Let him go with you.” She begged, spatula in hand, as she gestured to a pouty Ghoul still sipping coffee from his leg-swinging perch on the counter.

“Well, now wait a minute. I gave Dad a rain check on a talk we were supposed to have this morning.” Donald explained to his wife who merely pursed her lips at his weak excuse.

“Well, that's okay, sir,” Ghoul interrupted as he crossed his ankles and looked at Donald, “'Cause I'm just gonna stay here and take the combine out.”

Donald looked up at Ghoul with a deadly scowl as he poured himself some coffee. Donna bent down at the table, facing her husband as she pretended to sort out napkins.

“Let him go with you.” She whispered sternly. Donald sighed, closing his eyes for a moment when he finally relented.

“All right, you can come.” He took a sip of coffee and Donna smiled brightly up at her husband before she sauntered off to the stove to flip the bacon she had been cooking.

“Well, all right, sir.” Ghoul put on a thick Southern accent yet again, “I think- I think, I- well, I think you made a right choice, sir.” Ghoul spluttered in his improved accent as Donald side-eyed him while he closed the lid on the large flask.

“Mikey, I threw your gear in the truck out there.” Donald called out to his youngest son, “Come on. Let's go fishin'.”

But Mikey wasn't interested, he was fishing on his videogame, showing off his skills to his older brother who was happily leaning in his shoulder and watching avidly, “I don't feel like it.” Mikey replied simply without even looking up at his dad. Ghoul shook his head softly at Mikey and looked at Donald, who seemed disappointed at his younger son.

“Well, suit yourself.” Donald replied with less enthusiasm as he walked over to his wife.

Donna blew her husband a kiss  as he walked passed, “Bring me a big one.” She whispered in a sultry voice and slapped her husband on the ass as he walked passed with a sheepish grin.

“Ow!” He grunted, laughing, before  he turned to Ghoul, “Let's go, hotshot.”

Donald walked out to his truck as Ghoul slid fluidly from the counter.  He walked over to Donna with a wide grin.

“Nasty!” She whispered to him in the same manner than he had articulated the night before.

Ghoul grinned and licked his fingertips as he walked passed her, “Girlfriend, girlfriend, aaaaaahh.” He crooned in a soft whisper before he walked around the corner to the door.

“So, Donald, don't hold out on me, dude.” Ghoul spoke as Donna turned back to the stove, “Did you get her?” He asked despite no one being there  and Donna turned with her mouth hanging open in shock at her son-in-law, not  knowing Donald was already in the truck.

Gerard was now in control of the videogame as Mikey chewed a piece of gum, blowing out a large pink bubble. Gerard turned, smacking Mikey in the mouth playfully as he popped the enormous bubble against Mikey's grinning face.

Ghoul suddenly ran into the kitchen, startling everyone. He walked up to Gerard, kissing him tenderly in the lips. The kiss was over before it had even started, before Mikey could protest. Ghoul pulled away and smiled at Gerard, who seemed flustered and shocked.

“Sorry. Forgot to say bye.” Ghoul turned and galloped out. Gerard cleared his throat, his cheeks a bright pink, when he saw his mom standing across the kitchen with a smug smile on her face as she eyed her oldest son over the brim of her orange juice.

“Nasty.” She whispered and Gerard let out a loud barking laugh as he tried to get Mikey to show him the video game yet again.

After a short drive that consisted of The two Way men in the front cab and Ghoul sitting in the open truck bed, Donald, Ghoul and Henry were all stood at the side of a picturesque river, standing in a row on the banks in the bright green grass, the morning air warm but crisp. The red pick up was parked a few yards away, trees encircled the wide-span river and across the bed of water seemed to be a white-capped bridge.

Henry stood on the far right, flicking the line out overhead and into the flowing water. Donald stood beside him, flicking and bobbing his fishing pole out sideways with an added finesse. And Ghoul stood beside him with his bucket hat too far down on his head and his pole out upside down and uncast. 

He held his arms out far and tried to flick it   
out into the water as is, hopping a little as he tried to get the bait further into the water.

“No, no, no, no.” Donald called out, feeling sympathy for Ghoul as he watched him struggle, “No, look. It's all in the wrist.” He instructed and Ghoul looked over at him, “See? You just pop it up,” Donald graded his arm back and the long line flew back, “Pop it out there, flick it a couple of times.” He instructed as he threw the line back into the water, “Just drives those trout wild.”

Ghoul nodded, wiggling the pole in his hands.

“No, no, no, no. You got your- You got your rod upside down.” Donald wanted to laugh as he pointed at Ghoul, who did in fact have his fishing pole upside down still. Even Henry had turned to look when he heard, “Turn it over. Turn your rod- That's right.” He smiled when Ghoul turned the rod the right way up, arms still outstretched in front of him and up high.

“Thanks.” Ghoul breathed softly.

“All right. Now, go ahead. Pop it out. No, just one hand. Just do it with one hand.” Donald continued to instruct and Ghoul continued to look at him with intense concentration, the pole switching to his right hand instead of both over his shoulder, “That's right. Go ahead.”

Ghoul threw his arm out as instructed but automatically let go as he threw, the fishing rod followed the line of gut into the water with a shallow 'thunk!’.

“Ah, shit.” Donald exclaimed as he watched the fishing pole sink. He turned to look at Ghoul who was looking down and extremely sheepish, his lips pulled back into a grimace, “Look, I'll tell you what.” Donald began and Ghoul  looked up at him timidly, “Why don't you put the fish that Dad and I catch into the bucket 'til you get the hang of it.”

“Look, I’m really sorry.” Ghoul added in earnest.

“It's all right.” Donald waved him off.

“I got one!” Henry yelled happily.

“He got one!” Ghoul repeated as they both turned to look at the old man who was reeling… Literally.

“See, Junior? That's how you do it.” Henry called as Ghoul trotted over with a silver bucket in hand, “Yeah, over the head. That's the way to do it.” He continued as he pulled out a fish from the river and Ghoul proudly held out his bucket, “I never could understand that sidearm business of yours.”

“Yeah, well, that's the way I like to do it.” Donald replied simply as he cast his line out again.

“Yeah, well, it don't make it right.” Henry argued as he helped Ghoul get the hook out of the fish.

“Yeah, well, whatever.” Donald shrugged as he flicked his line back into the water.

“You get some kind of pleasure out of not listenin' to me?” Henry asked out with annoyance as he pulled the fish from the hook and dumped it in the bucket while Ghoul stood patiently at his side, bucket in his arms and stared at the fish with disgust and slight horror.     

“Aw, look, Dad, I just don't want to have this conversation anymore, okay? I got a particular way I like to do things and that's it. Just give me a little room.”

“A little room, huh?” Henry asked out sarcastically and Ghoul held the fish up behind him, staring at it, “Room you want? You got it! I tell you, it never fails- I try to help him.”

“Every time.” Donald sighed as he continued to mess with his line. Ghoul looked down at the fish and blew kisses at it softly, his heart breaking at the idea of killing it.

“Try to teach him something, and what happens?” Henry continued to gripe as he walked away. 

“Every single time.” Donald sighed as Ghoul looked at Donald with pursed lips.

“He turns on me like a viper in the grass.” Henry went to stand far away from them  as Ghoul bent down and threw the fish back into the water before shaking his hand off and wiping it on his pants, “He is one ungrateful son of a bitch and I’m gonna tell it to him to his face.”

Ghoul walked over to Donald's side, perhaps a foot or so away, and sat down on the grass with the empty bucket in his lap as he looked out across the water, “You know, I kind of feel sorry for you, Mr. Way.” Ghoul stated as he looked up at Donald, his fingers picking and twisting at a blade of grass.

“What?” Donald asked after a minute, turning to look at Ghoul blankly.

“Well, your dad, you know.” Ghoul began as he stretched his bare legs out in front of him, keeping himself up on his arms, “I've been noticing the way he's always treatin' you.”  
                    
“Oh, he's been like that as long as I can remember, the son of a bitch.” Donald laughed softly. 

Ghoul looked at the water for a second before he decided to go for it, “Kind of like the way you get down on Mikey for the way he does things, too, huh?” Ghoul asked gingerly and Donald stared down at him with a hard expression that had Ghoul sit up apologetically, his lips turned down, “l'm sorry.”

There was silence between them as Ghoul readjusted his legs around the metal bucket and looked down at it awkwardly.

“You talkin' about the way he plays with those stupid computer games all day?” Donald asked rather hurriedly, his voice on the edge of impatience.        

“Those aren't just games to him. That's what he's into. He's not asking you to do it, is he?” Ghoul asked rhetorically as they locked eyes for a split second and noticed the guilt on Donald's face, “He just wants some room too.”

Donald shrugged, trying to ignore that the young man had a glaringly fair point, “Yeah, well, uh, uh… Who asked you?”

“I’m sorry.” Ghoul raised his hands up a bit in surrender and looked down. 

It was then when they heard it, the soft but urgent gasping and gurgling that had them looking up in it's direction. They saw Henry stumbling across the grass, clutching his chest.

“Dad!” Donald called out as Henry collapsed to his knees in the grass, “Dad!”      

Ghoul scrambled up from the grass as he and Donald ran over to Henry who was doubled over and sputtering for breath.

“Dad, come here. Lay down here.” Donald instructed as he got to his father, laying him down in the grass on his back, “Where are your pills?’

“In- In my jacket in the truck. Help.” Henry spluttered as Ghoul panicked in the background, watching the old man wheeze for breath and look so much more frail than anyone ever should.

Donald got up, running for the pickup that seemed miles away. Ghoul watched him go before he turned to Henry and tried to think of what to do.

“Assess the situation.” He spoke to himself, clapping his hands frantically, “Gramps is dying. Okay. C.P.R.” He went down on his knees beside Henry, “Right! Okay. Tilt the head back. Plug the nostrils.” He did both of those things with tentative and gingerly steady hands, tilting the old man's head back with two tattooed fingers over his nose, watching him gasp desperately, “And administer mouth-to-mouth.”

Ghoul hesitated for a moment before he leaned in towards Henry, his mouth open as he sucked in a long breath. Henry opened his eyes, seeing Ghoul leaning in, and he let out a loud scream of sheer horror. Ghoul jumped in fright, screaming just as loudly before he shot backwards and away from Henry.

He clutched his own heart that seemed to have restarted with fright, looking down at the old man who had rolled away from him.

“What happened? What happened?” Donald asked frantically as he dropped to his knees beside his father and tried to help him up when he noticed Henry struggling.

“Geez. He tried to kiss me.” Henry hissed vehemently at his son and Ghoul's eyes widened.

“Dude, I was doin' C.P.R. I know what I'm doin'. I majored in it for a half semester.” Ghoul urged at Donald with wide eyes. Donald nodded at him as Ghoul tried to relax.

“Here.” Donald opened the small orange bottle and handed his father two yellow pills.     

“Well, if it's between my dyin'...” Henry muttered, his breathing still ragged, “Or him kissin' me, I'd rather die.” Henry croaked as he put the two pills in his mouth and swallowed them dry as he looked out over the water nearby. Ghoul shook his head, taking his bucket hat off as he stood up beside Donald.

That was clearly the end of their fishing adventures. Donald and Ghoul helped Henry slowly to his feet before they helped him walk back to the truck that Donald had parked closer. Donald got his father in the truck while Ghoul gathered everything up that had been discarded.

He piled all of the supplies into the back of the truck before he climbed on and sat down, hearing the engine start up loudly, disturbing the serene greenery around them.

They drove home in even more silence than the heavy quiet that had brought them to the river in the first place. Ghoul fiddled with the bait flats that had been sewn to the had he had borrowed, his mood a little more deflated than before.

They pulled up to the red gate of the front yard and he looked up to see Gerard and his mother in their vegetable garden, laughing together. Gerard had on one of Ghoul's oversized sweaters and his usual denim shorts with a white flower in his hair that he had clearly picked from the garden.

Ghoul smiled, waving at him and Donna as he stood up. Donna waved at them as they pulled up and Ghoul jumped out of the truck as Gerard stood up.

“Hey, guys.” Gerard greeted.

“Catch anything?” Donna asked as she also stood up.

“Come on. Here, let me help you.” Ghoul offered to Henry with a patient smile. Henry sat in the passenger seat before he relented and Ghoul helped the old man out of the cab slowly.

“Is he okay?” Ghoul asked Donald as Henry shook him off.

“Come on, Dad. You're gonna be okay, all right? Just shake it out. You're not dizzy or anything, are you?” Donald walked with his father as Gerard and Donna ran to the garden gate to  meet up with them, pulling off their gloves as they went.

“Dad, are you okay? Something happen?” Donna asked as they came around the corner, her hands on Henry's shoulders.

“Nothing to be alarmed about.” Donald smiled.

“Are you sure?” Donna asked with concern as she looked at her husband and father-in-law.

“He just had a spell.”

“I’m okay. I’m all right.” Henry assured his oldest grandson as he kissed Gerard's thumb in their greeting gesture. Gerard looked at his grandfather with tears in his eyes.

“Let's go inside.” Donald stated and Donna put her arms around Henry and walked with him.

“Crazy kid nearly kissed me.” Henry informed his daughter-in-law as they walked off.

“Listen, um- Um, Ghoul, I just want you to know how much I appreciate what you did for my dad back there.” Donald put his hands on his hips as he looked at Ghoul.

“Look, it's no problem.” Ghoul gushed softly, smiling earnestly  as Donald, too, broke into a smile and patted him on the back in a fatherly gesture that took Ghoul by surprise.

“What did you do out there?” Gerard asked once his father had walked off towards the house after his wife and father.

“We need to talk.” Ghoul sighed as he took Gerard by the arm and pulled him away from the family. They walked in silence towards Gerard's treehouse, Ghoul's steady gait setting the tone for a conversation  that Gerard didn't seem to want to have.

They climbed the stairs up into the treehouse when Gerard tried again, “So what happened out there today?” He asked and Ghoul looked down at him, merely taking his hand as he lead him up the stairs, “Ghoul? Frank? Would you just talk to me?”

Ghoul climbed into the treehouse and let out a loud sigh, waiting for Gerard to join him as he looked around at Gerard's stuff, his anxiety making his legs shaky.

“What?” Gerard asked breathily as he finally  reached the inside of the treehouse, turning to see Ghoul  leaning against the window looking forlorn.

“Gerard, I don't want to lie to 'em anymore.” Ghoul stated with reproach, his voice low and sad as he watched Gerard realise what he meant.

“Oh, Ghoul, you're not doing this to me now.” Gerard whined breathily and Ghoul looked away with guilt, staring at Gerard's old dollhouse, “I told you, we're gonna get back to school and I'll call... And I'll tell 'em we broke up.”

“Yeah, but your dad took me fishing.” Ghoul argued, “All right? We bonded. Finally. I like your family, Gerard. I like 'em a whole bunch.”

“And that's why I don't want to ruin it. We just have two more days.” Gerard tried to bargain as Ghoul looked around again, pursing his lips.

“Look, I don't care, Gerard.” Ghoul stated and Gerard turned around, sighing.

“Oh, God.” He breathed out, looking out the  window, his heart racing with panic.

“Either you tell 'em or I'm gonna tell 'em.” Ghoul announced as he fiddled with an old whittled sculpture of a duck, his eyes on Gerard.

“Okay.” Gerard sighed and turned back around, “Okay, I'll tell 'em.”

“Are you gonna tell 'em?” Ghoul asked insistently, his eyes squinting.

“Yes!” Gerard reassured firmly and then looked down at the floor as a silence settled between them while Ghoul fiddled with the carving awkwardly and set it back down.

He got up from his leaning post against the window and walked around as Gerard walked the other way. He carefully walked down the small set of steps as Gerard walked over to another window with his eyes blurred and filled with tears.

Ghoul climbed out of the treehouse in silence as Gerard began to cry silently, the tears streaming down his face as he watched Ghoul walk off towards the farm.

Ghoul stopped and looked up at Gerard in the window but all he saw was the back of him slumped over and sad. Ghoul felt his chest pull tight and he let out a sigh and walked back to the treehouse. He took off his shoes and his socks and carefully climbed up the stairs yet again but this time he tried to be quiet about it, taking them one at a time.

He got to the top and peered in to see Gerard sitting against the window, staring off at the house with his cheeks blotchy and red, his bottom lip trembling.

“Gee.” Ghoul sighed softly as he lifted himself up, sitting on the edge of the trapdoor with his legs pulled up to his chest.

“What do you want, Ghoul.” Gerard asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I'm sorry.” Ghoul mumbled from behind his knees.

“Don't.” Gerard sniffed and got up, walking over until he stopped in front of Ghoul and crouched down, “I get it.”

“I'm not the type to hurt someone. It kills.” He sighed out and looked up, “I don't wanna lie anymore.”

“I get it.” Gerard repeated softly and Ghoul nodded, looking at him when he sighed and sat down beside him, “I'm sorry too. That you got caught up in this.”

Ghoul shrugged and looked up as Gerard leaned in, his lips oh Ghoul's in a tentative kiss that completely contrasted from the chaste kiss that had surprised him that morning.

Ghoul was definitely taken by surprise, jumping before he kissed back. He leaned forward, deepening the kiss as Gerard shifted from his crouched position into his knees.

Ghoul shuffled closer, letting go of his knees when Gerard moved back and broke the kiss with a breathy gasp.

“My parents are gonna look for us later.” Gerard breathed but Ghoul stared at him for a long second, shaking his head.

“Don't care.” He whispered and put a hand down on the trapdoor and closed it slowly beside them as Gerard lifted a leg and climbed onto his lap hesitantly. Ghoul looked up at him with raised eyebrows as he smiled, leaning up as Gerard kissed him again.


	12. Chapter 12

It had been a couple hours after he and Gerard had slept together in the treehouse. It was now almost sunset and they had split ways after they had lay together for almost an hour. Gerard had crept into the house to help his mother before he went back up while Ghoul had walked to the farm.

Ghoul walked up to the corral where the cows were and leaned up against it, staring at them with his arms on the top of the fence and his head laying on top of his crossed arms. He looked up at the treehouse and saw Gerard still standing there, they locked eyes for a second and Gerard instantly turned around to hide the blush.

James suddenly stood beside him, leaning on the fence in the same fashion. Ghoul looked up at him with a sad face that Dewees glanced at, “Hey, City.”

“Hey, James.” Ghoul sighed softly.

“Ever pick out your own turkey for Thanksgiving?” Dewees asked randomly.

“Yeah, Stouffers, Swansons and Butterballs.” Ghoul grinned jokingly as he watched the cows.

“This ain't no supermarket, boy.” Dewees stated as he held out a shiny and daunting cleaver at Ghoul, who balked at it with wide eyes. James grabbed him behind the neck with a gloved hand and turned him around, towing him away from the cows.

“Uh, hey.” Ghoul protested softly, laughing as he put his arm around James and hugged him lightly, “How ya doin', man?”

“Gobble, gobble, man.” James laughed softly as he easily slid  from Ghoul's grip and pushed him toward a large chickenwire pen.

“All right, partner.” James sighed devilishly as they got to the gate of the pen.

“You should do some aerobics and bail the belly, man.” Ghoul smiled warmly as he patted Dewees’ protruding stomach, wiping the smile from his pig-like face.  
                    
“Yeah, okay, cool. Listen, take this.” Dewees took Ghoul's hand and placed the meat cleaver in his palm, “Sometimes these things can be vicious.”  
    
Dewees opened the gate and Ghoul looked at him, brandishing the cleaver at his side, “Are you gonna cruise in with me?”

“Oh, I don't think so.” Dewees smiled as he pushed Ghoul in.

“Ow.” Ghoul grunted softly as he stumbled  in and heard the creak of the wooden gate shut behind him. Ghoul stood pressed up against the gate and eyed the turkey in the corner.

“Get on over there and get dinner, boy.” James urged and Ghoul felt his stomach  drop as he realised what he had to do.

“Chop its head off?” He asked in a small voice as the turkey turned around to face him.

“Yeah, if you can catch him.” Dewees laughed as Ghoul cursed under his breath and took a couple small steps forward, his arms out with the cleaver gripped in his palm.

The turkey began to flap its wings and cry out at him in warning and he let out a yelp and jumped back in fright.

“No, no, no, no!” He exclaimed while he pushed himself up against the fence as the turkey continued to brandish it's feathery wings at him, standing up tall and threatening. Ghoul had never realised just how big they were when they were alive and he was horrified.

He continued to scream in terror as it flew up at him. He covered his face with his arms and ran to the other side of the cage as Dewees watched from outside, laughing to himself.

He screamed continuously  as he was chased around the large pen in circles by the enormous bird.

“I’m innocent! He told me to do it!” Ghoul screamed at the turkey as he ran from it, “Stay back! I was just kidding! Help! Stop!”  

He was up against a fence and he began howling loudly, the same loud howling he had done when he had first gotten here, the same howling he was prone to do out of sheer excitement. The exceptionally loud howling stopped the turkey in it's tracks but Ghoul hadn't noticed, his eyes closed as he howled out of sheer instinct at the bird.

The turkey suddenly keeled over onto the floor and lay lifeless a few feet away from Ghoul who had thrown the cleaver aside with disgust and taken a step closer to inspect. The smile wiping from James's face, replaced with disappointment and confusion as he looked at the man who stood panting nearby.  

Ghoul carefully walked over and circled the bird a couple times before he looked at Dewees for help.

“Go on now, pick it up by the feet and let's take it inside.” He said before he walked off without Ghoul.

“I'm sorry, Poncho.” Ghoul whispered as he bent down and scooped the turkey up, holding it in his arms with a huge pang of guilt in his chest as he carried the bird inside, “Definitely off of meat after this.” 

He walked inside and lay the bird down in the sink as Henry came over, frowning at the bird who looked asleep more than anything, “What the hell happened out there?”

“I dunno, it sort of…” Ghoul shrugged, “It just flopped over. Like you did this morning.”

“The turkey had a heart attack?” Henry asked with outright disbelief.

“I don't know.” Ghoul cried out, looking at the bird as Mikey came over to look at it as well, “I never killed anything before.” Ghoul frowned as Donna pulled out vegetables from the fridge.

“Maybe he should give the turkey a little kiss.” Henry offered with a chuckle as everyone else burst into fits of laughter in the kitchen, even Gerard. 

Ghoul patted the turkey lovingly, “That's real funny, guys.” Ghoul sighed and Gerard watched them all interacting before he turned, his smile falling from his face, as he slid out of the kitchen.

“Well, you know what they say, Ghoul. lf you kill 'em, you gotta clean 'em.” Donald announced as he tried to hide the smirk of laughter as he stood next to Ghoul on the other side of him, opposite his father and son.

“Why are you making me do this?” Ghoul asked unhappily as he eyed Donald, the thought making him ill.   

“It's all part of being a farmer.” Donald explained simply, “Now, reach down there and grab them tail feathers, start jerking them out… And work yourself forward.” 

Ghoul sucked in a breath as he grabbed a handful of feathers with his fingers, staring down at the bird.

“Jerk 'em on out of there.” Donald urged and Ghoul did exactly that, pulling out the feathers.

The turkey suddenly shot up from the sink at the pull of it's feathers and everyone let out frightened screams and jumped back. The turkey took off, flying around the kitchen as Donald reacted first and tried to catch it.  
                              
“It's a miracle!” Ghoul cried happily as he watched everyone in shambles, the turkey flying around the kitchen and knocking things over as everyone, Donna included, tried to catch it. He decided to join in, chasing after Donald and Donna to catch Poncho the turkey around the island counters with Mikey right behind him.

Outside, a dark station wagon had pulled up and honked it's horn loudly. Ghoul shot up and looked out of the window as the turkey found it's way into the dining room and was running over the table, sending mail and magazines flying.

“Oh, there's my ride. Like to hang, gotta go. Bye.” Ghoul called out despite no one hearing him. He cackled and waved at them when Gerard suddenly ran in to find the chaos. He kissed Gerard on the cheek as he ran in to help his father corner the bird.

Ghoul ran out of the mayhem and into the yard where Lindsey was waiting for him  for his bachelor party.

~

An hour later and Ghoul was on his fifth beer, sitting on the barcounter with his legs crossed as he chugged an entire beer with Lindsey's hand tipping the glass for him. Ghoul didn't noticed Lindsey handing Dewees a bottle of pills  as she helped him chug down the amber alcohol.

“Drink that beer, boy! That's it! Bottoms up!” James yelled from behind the bar where he had been serving drinks all night.

“Whoa!” Ghoul grunted as everyone cheered, shaking his head as he set the glass down in front of him and pulled the quarter from between his teeth. He held it out for Lindsey to see, grinning proudly.

“Yeah!” Lindsey applauded, dressed in- Unbenounced to Ghoul- Gerard's high school jacket that he had given her before he left.

“Dude, you should invest in a beer bong, bro.” Ghoul leaned in to her, “The thing with the funnel, the hoo. You throw the whole case in there, man.” Ghoul explained as Lindsey looked at him with a smile, nodding. Her eyes darting to where James was, pouring out another beer before he tossed in about six or seven pills that instantly dissolved, “Hey, dude, you shoot the whole thing out. Toast, buddy!” He cried as he high-fived Lindsey.

“You know, I didn't like you much at first, but now that I got to know ya, you're okay.” Lindsey laughed.

“I still think you suck, but you're a hell of a drinker, partner.” Dewees added in as he put the laced beer in front of Ghoul with a wide grin, the three of them laughing. Lindsey lifted up the pint of beer for Ghoul, “This is it! A toast!” She lifted her own beer, “To Ghoul!”

“To Ghoul!” James added as they clinked their glasses together.

“And Gerard, your ex-dude, my new fiancée.” Ghoul looked at Lindsey with a chortling grin as he toasted again. Lindsey smiled at him before the smile fell from her face and she took a sip from her beer.                  

“Hey, City. Yeah! Get down!” James called out as Ghoul began to down the beer, drinking some as most of it poured down his mouth and into his lap.

“All right, man, this is it. Go, go, go!” Lindsey cheered as everyone else chimed in as well.

“Go! Go on! Go!” James called out, tipping Ghoul's glass.

“Go on! Suck it up, buddy!” Lindsey yelled out as Ghoul chugged down hard, grimacing as he finished it, shaking his head at the bitter taste.

“I'm gonna go sing.” He announced solemnly to his two barmates before he slowly climbed off of the bar.

“Great. All right.” Lindsey encouraged as Ghoul carefully stood on the ground, his head  feeling fuzzy as he walked, sliding and stumbling through the other patrons.

He hopped onto the small stage and whispered the song request to the karaoke machine operator, “Hello. Hi, how ya doin'?” Ghoul called into the microphone as Lindsey and James smiled at each other maniacally,  “Cool. Okay, this is a song that really means a lot to me.” The music began to play on the speakers as Ghoul  held the mic in his hands and began to sing the only country song  he knew, “Well, life on the farm is kind of laid back, ain't much an old country boy like me can't hack, early to rise, early in the sack, thank God I'm a country boy.”

Ghoul looked at Lindsey who was clapping and miming along with him enthusiastically and he grinned, “Well, city folks drivin' in a black limousine, a lot of sad people-”

The music suddenly cut off and Ghoul looked over to see Jamia who had  walked in and unplugged the machine from the wall, twirling the cord in her hand.

“Sorry to interrupt, but are you guys ready for some real entertainment.” She asked coyly and every man in the crowd cheered and wolf-whistled for her. Ghoul let out a sigh as she dropped the plug with a wide smile.

James handed Lindsey another beer as Jamia pressed a number on the jukebox.  Lindsey held up the beer, watching the pills dissolve as a loud and bass-y song came on. Jamia  took the cowboy hat off from her head, shaking her hips as she pressed herself back against the jukebox.  
                     
“Whoo!”

“Shake it, mama! Shake it!” Someone called out. Jamia danced up to  one of the men, running a hand through her hair as she slid down between his legs and back up. She danced against the next guy as Lindsey cheered for her nearby, clapping her hands and looking up at Ghoul expectantly. Ghoul grinned down at Lindsey, shaking his finger knowingly when he realised that Jamia had been the stripper-type gift for his party.

Jamia put her brown cowboy hat on one of the patron's head, shaking his head in her hand as she leaned in as if to kiss him but pulled away just in time and spun away to the next guy. She slapped him lightly, playfully on the face.

Ghoul hopped on stage with the music, his mouth hanging open, eyes glazing over as he started to properly feel the effects of the alcohol, his vision fuzzy around the edges.

Jamia danced over some poor guy's lap as Ghoul slowly swayed back and forth, watching her as best he could. Jamia pulled some guy out of the crowd and danced in  a simple away with him as she slid her denim jacket from her arms and took it off. The guy seemed  wholeheartedly happy with that decision and nodded before she tutted, shaking her finger at him, and put her jacket over his head. She pushed him back into the crowd of men watching her before she sounds around and looked up at Ghoul on the stage with wide and innocent eyes.

She snapped her fingers  and gestured down for him, a hand in her hip. Ghoul instantly obeyed, still fuzzy, and sat down surprisingly fluidly on the edge of the raised stage.

Jamia unbuttoned the top few buttons of her dress to expose her bright pink bra, spinning around to do a small dip, her arms over her breasts in a teasing fashion. Ghoul stared at her, his vision seemingly like a kaleidoscope, and saw two of her peering at him from over  her shoulder with a gorgeous smile. She put her hands on her hips, looking at him as he stared openly at her chest, blinking hard.

“Nugs!” He gasped when he finally  caught up with what was happening. Jamia walked up to him, put a leg over his lap and leaned in, coyly tucking her hair behind her ear as Ghoul stared up at her with a slack jaw as she slid her dress up to expose her leg. She grabbed him by the front of the shirt, bringing him closer when his eyes rolled back and he collapsed backward onto the stage in a drunk stupor.

Jamia’s smile wiped clean from her face, “Ugh! l was just getting started.” She turned to face the crowd, pulling her dress back up, highly insulted. James intervened,  tapping her shoulder rapidly.

“No, baby, baby, baby! Y'all can take me on!” He offered excitedly as she turned to look at him. She sat on the stage a few feet from Ghoul when Lindsey sidled up to her, beer in hand.

“That was great, Mia.” She handed Jamia the beer and sat beside her as James cheered on excitedly, “That was great. That was great.”

Jamia took a sip and began to lower the glass down when Lindsey tipped it back up to her mouth, “No, no, no! Come on. It’s a party! Let's go. Drink up.” She cheered as Jamia chugged the beer down with everyone else joining in to urge her into drinking the entire thing.

~

The very next morning, everyone was up early for their day working on their basic farm chores or for getting the food ready for lunch. James waltzed into the kitchen that morning to see Donna making breakfast.

“Ah, morning. Happy turkey day. Is the coffee ready?” He asked with a bored time in his voice.

“Help yourself, James.” Donna muttered as her and Mikey worked on the turkey while Donald, Henry and Gerard sat at the kitchen table working on the sides.

“Mikey, can you bring those spices over here please, sir?” Donald asked and Mikey nodded, grabbing the small spice rack before he walked over and handed it to his dad.

“So, uh, where's Mr. Farmer this morning?” James asked curiously as Gerard helped his dad cut up apples.

“Oh, I imagine he's up there in his room sleeping it off, huh, Mikey?” Donald asked his youngest son as he set the spices down.

“Not in my room. He never came home last night.” Mikey shrugged and Gerard looked up then, frowning with concern.

“Really?” He asked, his voice raising an octave.

“Might check out in the barn.” Dewees stated as he turned to lean against the counter, sipping on his coffee, “Heard a lot of huffin' and puffin' out there last night.”          

“Oh, Ghoul, poor guy.” Gerard chuckled as he grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair.

“That's how he got his nickname.” Donald muttered jokingly to his son, the two of them laughing softly as Gerard got up and slid his jacket on. James smiled impishly as he watched Gerard take a glass of milk and walk out of the house towards the barn.

Gerard crossed the backyard and opened the large wooden door carefully before  he stepped inside, “Ghoul?”

He heard Ghoul groaning unhappily from one of the stalls and he turned, walking towards the sound.

Gerard walked around the wooden fence  and found Ghoul laying in his underwear and his boots in a pile of clothing beside Jamia, sprawled out under a thin blanket. Gerard stood there and stared at them as his heart hammered wildly in his chest, his stomach churned like butter and he felt like he was going to be sick. His arm dropped, the milk pouring out onto the ground before he glass dropped onto the hay with a dull ‘thud’.

“Oops.” He said out loud, his voice cracking as he held back the tears that stung his eyes.

Ghoul lifted his head up at the sound  of the familiar voice, Jamia stirring beside him, “What?”

“Sorry, you guys, I didn't mean to-” Gerard began as Jamia sat up suddenly, her dress in disarray, “I'm sorry.” Gerard muttered as Ghoul shot upright and looked at Jamia who was frowning at Gerard, “I’m just gonna be going now.” He whispered as he turned and walked out of the stall. 

“Wait! Gee! It- Ow.” They both grimaced, holding their heads as it throbbed, “It's not what you think!” He called out as Gerard walked out if the barn, “I don't think. Do you think?” He asked Jamia curiously and she turned to frown at him as he scrambled up to get dressed.    

“Oh, the wedding is off!” Gerard yelled as he walked into the house with Ghoul on his heels, only dressed in his sweater, his underwear and his boots.

“Stop!” He skidded to a halt in the kitchen when he realised it was full of people, “Good mornin'.” He pulled his shorts up from around his ankles, “Gee, please, just wait.” He called after him as he ran after Gerard up the stairs, leaving everyone staring in the kitchen.

“Just-” Ghoul stammered.

“These are the days of our lives.” James sighed out as he took another sip of coffee and walked out of the kitchen. No one in the kitchen had moved, eyes wide at the spectacle they had not been expecting so early- or at all. Donna watched him leave before she turned to look at her husband with genuine concern.

Gerard walked into his bedroom, arms wrapped around himself as he forced back the tears, looking out of the window. “Oh, God!” He groaned, stuffing a pair of old cheerleading pompoms into his trashcan that  had belonged to Jamia. Another couple items followed in a hasty frustration before he let out a whimper and kicked the bin.

“Gerard?” Ghoul called out as he walked into the room and closed the door, “Look, l'm sorry.” He whispered as he took a tentative step closer.  
                   
“Oh, forget it. It was all a big joke anyway, right?” Gerard replied far too nonchalantly as he pages through his yearbook that was on his desk.

“No. Not for me.” Ghoul argued, “I'm into you.” He admitted in a quieter but still as honest tone, “I mean… Yesterday we-”

“Yeah, until Jamia shows up.” Gerard retorted, turning to look at Ghoul again briefly, “You into her too?”

“Listen, last night… I'm at the bachelor party, I'm doin' karaoke and then I wake up in the barn. That's all I remember what happened, I swear.” Ghoul admitted firmly.

“Oh, Ghoul!” Gerard yelled, throwing pages at him that he ducked, “You’re such a fucking hypocrite! God, you waltz in here telling everyone to be honest with each other, and the least you could do is be honest with me.” His voice cracked near the end as  he held back the tears yet again, his hazel eyes glaring desperately at Ghoul.

“I'm being honest.” Ghoul replied in a soft voice, folding his arms slowly.

Gerard scoffed softly, a disbelieving laugh in his chest, “That you blacked out and woke up with Jamia?” He asked and Ghoul nodded, “My God, you must think I’m stupid. I am stupid.” He raised his arms up with the realisation, “I never should have brought you here in the first place.”

Then Ghoul clicked, his lips smacking open as he leaned his weight on one foot and refolded his arms, this time with defense, “Why did you bring me here, Gerard?”          

“Because it was Thanksgiving and you were alone.” Gerard stated as though it was obvious but his eyes shifted for a second, a second that Ghoul caught.

“You knew Lindsey was gonna propose to you, huh?”  
                    
Gerard stared at him, scoffing softly as he, too, folded his arms, “Oh, please. I felt sorry for you.”

“‘Please’ to you. Spare me.” Ghoul added harshly, his voice rising for the first time, “You needed someone to shield you from Lindsey… Because you couldn't even deal with it yourself.”

“That is not true.” Gerard spat back, his voice wavering as the tears threatened to fall.

“Have you told anybody the truth?” Ghoul argued heatedly and Gerard remained silent and looked away from Ghoul, looking just passed him at nothing, “Talk about hypocrites. Hey, I don't even want to be your friend.” 

“Fine.” Gerard smiled softly, pulling the silver band from his finger and he held it out for Ghoul, “Here's your ring.”

Ghoul looked at it and at Gerard several times before he shrugged  and took it, playing it off cooly as Gerard sniffed, his eyes wide as he physically forced the tears back. He watched Ghoul out the ring back on and hold up his hand, “Fits better on my finger anyways. See?” He whispered softly, wiggling his hand as Gerard smiled, eyes still not meeting Ghoul's.

Ghoul turned on his heels and walked out of Gerard's room, leaving him alone, closing the door behind him as Gerard tried to keep himself calm.


	13. Chapter 13

Jamia walked out of the barn by herself, pulling her denim jacket on as she ran a hand through her hair and looked around aimlessly, seeing her black Trans Am parked right nearby the barn. She wandered over to it and folded her arms, looking it over before she opened the door and climbed in. She frowned at the feel of the seat as a large black truck pulled up.

She slid her hand under the seat and pulled it forward so that her feet could touch the pedals. She looked at her car as a door slammed, making her jump.

Lindsey walked over with a frown, hands in her back pockets as she walked over, “What are you doin' here?”       

“I don't know.” Jamia admitted with a breathy sigh as Lindsey bent down, hands on the car, and leaned in to look at Jamia, “What happened last night?”

“You tell me.” Lindsey stated with a wide-eyed shrug.

Jamia thought for a moment, looking away, her arms folded as she fiddled with the sleeves of her jacket, “Well, I woke up in the barn, but I- I can't remember anything.”

Lindsey rolled her eyes and looked at the barn, “Yeah, well, I'll tell you what happened. You and Ghoul were all over each other when you left the bar last night. Why don't you take it from there.” She remarked snidely as Jamia looked on the verge of tears.

“I was only gonna dance for him.” She choked back the tears as she looked at Lindsey earnestly.

“After what we had together?  Man, I thought I knew you.” Lindsey whispered in disbelief before she pushed off of the car and took a step couple steps back while the tears ran down Jamia's face, “You are so low.”

Jamia watched as Lindsey gave her one last look of disgusted disappointment before she turned on her heel and walked off towards the house. Jamia sat there, chewing on her bottom lip, staring at the dials of her car as the tears ran  freely down her face, her mind racing.

Inside the house, Gerard had finally come  down the stairs once he had gotten a hold of his tears. He walked stridently into the kitchen for the door.

“Son, you okay?” Donald asked out as he held his wife's hand while they sat  at the kitchen table together with Henry.

“Fine.” Gerard called back.

“Where are you going?” Donna asked as he got to the door.

“Out.” He remarked as he opened the door and slammed it shut. Mikey looked from where his brother had been and up at the ceiling before he walked out from around the counter and headed for the stairs to find Ghoul.

Mikey walked into his room slowly, watching Ghoul shoving his clothing and belongings into trash bags and his army rucksack. Mikey walked over as Ghoul was pulling a bright green sleeveless kimono over his favourite pastel green turtleneck. Mikey sat himself down on the cot Ghoul had slept in and looked up at him.

“So I take it there's not going to be a wedding?” He asked timidly.

“You got that right.” Ghoul scoffed as he popped his white  cowboy hat on his head.

“It's too bad.” Mikey sighed, “Believe it or not, I was looking forward to having you as a brother-in-law.” Ghoul sighed out as he shrugged his favourite patched up black jacket on, “So where are you heading?”    

“Back to California…” Ghoul answered finally, sliding his other arm into it's sleeve before he looked at Mikey, “Where it's normal.”

Mikey stood up, “Okay. Well, if you find a baby-fresh nug out there, send her my way.”

Ghoul shot him a single solitary finger-gun, winking and chuckling, “You got it.” He walked over, pulling Mikey into  a hug, “Take care, all right? Be good.”

“Okay.” Mikey whispered as he patted Ghoul on the back and let go, looking at him. Ghoul looked Mikey and held out his hand, squeezing his hand open and closed in a clenching motion as he made disgusting wet fart noises. Mikey smiled, imitating him in their shared greeting they had come up with on Ghoul's first day on the farm.

“Hmm, you made the sound well.” Ghoul smiled proudly and took his cowboy hat off and put it on Mikey's head, “You can have my hat only if I could squeeze your cheeks.” He reached out, squeezing Mikey's nonexistent cheeks with his ringed fingers, “Squeeze.”

“Yeah.” Mikey whispered sadly, trying to smile despite his face in two deathgrips as he looked up at Ghoul with sadness.

Ghoul laughed a short chuckle and leg go, turning to grab his bags.

“Take care, buddy.” Ghoul looked at Mikey as he swung his trash bag of clothing onto his shoulder.  Mikey didn't say anything, smiling somewhat as Ghoul walked to the door, he turned, “Later. Thanks for the cot.”

Mikey merely nodded in silence, watching Ghoul walk out of his room as his bottom lip trembled.

Downstairs Gerard stormed out of the door and made it down the porch stairs when a voice startled him.

“Gerard, what happened?” Lindsey asked with stark worry in her voice. Gerard turned to see her at the end of the porch.

“Everything.” He called out as he walked down the steps and stormed off.

“Wait up!” Lindsey hopped over the fence of the porch with ease and landed on the grass before she ran after Gerard, “Wait!”

Gerard sat himself on the swing that he had had since he was a kid that hung from the large oak tree right at the back of the yard. He spun himself around, kicking the tree as he sulked. 

Lindsey leaned up against the side of the tree near to him, “Look, we all make mistakes.”

Gerard sighed as he sounded around the opposite direction, staring down at the ground, “I'm just so confused.”

“Listen, it's natural. You go away from home the first time. You- You try new things.” Lindsey reassured him gently as he continued to spin slowly.

“Yeah, I just, I mean, you know, I thought I knew him and-” He trailed off with a sigh, cutting himself off with a small sob as he hugged the ropes of his swing.

“Look, those L.A. people are slick. I mean, they are not like us. They're on a different wavelength.” Lindsey explained before she stopped Gerard's spinning by grabbing the ropes of his swing, he looked out in front of him as she stood on a gnarled tree root behind him, “I tried to tell ya.”

Gerard remained silent as he burst into a fresh torrent of tears, arms around the ropes, hands clasped in front of his chest as the tears streamed down his face.

~

Jamia was driving down the highway from the Way farm. She had finally managed to stop crying and she looked in her mirror, adjusting it to look at herself as she wiped a stray tear. She sat back, driving down the straight road when she felt something digging into her ass. She frowned, scratching behind her for whatever it was, and she pulled out a pill bottle.

She stared down at it for a moment, realising it was sleeping pills, and threw them angrily onto the passenger seat before she took the steering wheel with both hands and pulled off of the road into a wide U-turn with a squeal of tires and a cloud of dust in her wake. She doubled back, driving towards the farm.

Ghoul stood on the side of that very road with a cardboard sign up that read 'Hollywood please!’. He waited patiently as a car drove by, plunging him into a cloud of dirt and dust. He coughed violently and tried to shake it off, holding his sign up.

Jamia suddenly pulled up beside him, startling him backwards as she pulled in way too close. “Ah, ah, ah.” He whimpered and stepped back as she rolled her window down.

“Get in.” She stated firmly as he fiddled with his sign and looked down.

“I think we spent enough time together, don't you?” He asked, looking at her pointedly.

“Look, we need to talk, now.” She added, her eyes wide. Ghoul looked at her for a moment before he tucked his sign under his arm.

“Alright.” He muttered as he picked his bags up and jogged around the car. Jamia leaned over and opened the door for him as he slid in.

“Look, about last night. I think there's something you should know about.” She started as he sat in the beige  leather seat. He looked over at her as he closed the door.

“Yeah.” He agreed, “I just wish I could remember if l was good or not.” He admitted cheekily and she eyed him.

“Well…” She trailed off as he looked at her and the car sped off back toward the farm.

“How old are you?” 

“Eighteen, why?” She asked as Ghoul let out a breath of relief.

“Just making sure I didn't commit a crime, I mean I'm already twenty five over here.” Ghoul muttered uneasily as he looked down at his lap, “I know Gerard doesn't mind the gap but-”

“Don't worry about it.”

~

Everyone was now sat at the dinner table or in the kitchen. Donald sat with Mikey, the two of them bonding over Mikey's fishing video game. 

“Shit.” Donald muttered under his breath  as he dropped a large trout on the screen.

“Everybody, sit down. Here comes our bird.” Donna announced as she brought the large turkey in with Gerard at her side carrying a salad. Henry sat down at his  son's side, Dewees sitting down beside Mikey and Lindsey took the chair across from the head of the table where Donald  was.

“It's really great, you all inviting me.” Lindsey smiled as she helped Gerard into his chair beside James, “Oh, that's a beautiful bird, Mrs. Way.” Lindsey smiled as Donna set the turkey down in the middle of the table.

“Thank you, Lindsey.” Donna stated simply as she sat down beside him with Henry pushing her chair in for her before he sat down beside her happily.

“You always were a great cook.” Lindsey gushed as she stood by her chair and looked at everyone, “Before I sit down, I'd like to say that it's really great having everybody together for the holidays. Matter of fact, I'd like to make a toast.” She picked up her wine glass and held it up, “To Gerard, the sweetest boy I know.” Gerard looked down heatedly, awkwardly, as he held up his glass and gave Lindsey a forced smile, “I know we've been through a lot the last couple of days, but I still love you as much as ever, and I think you still love me.”

Henry cleared his throat at the right time and Mikey tried not to laugh as Lindsey reached into her pocket, “So Gerard Way, will you marry me?” Lindsey asked as she got down on one knee beside Gerard.

“I, uh-” Gerard began, looking suddenly nauseous.

“Don't even think about it, Gee.” Ghoul suddenly stated from the doorway of the dining room and a wide grin spread on Mikey's face as Gerard jumped in his seat and looked up.

Lindsey sighed softly under her breath, “Oh, man.”

“Listen, you guys, I'm sorry for interrupting your meal,” Ghoul stepped in as Donna looked around in surprise and Lindsey  got up from the floor, “But's something that everybody needs to know before I go.”        

“Can't you take a hint, you idiot?” Lindsey yelled, exasperated, as she turned on Ghoul, “Look, Mr. Way, if you don't mind, I'd like to take this guy outta here.” Lindsey seethed as she began to roll up her shirt sleeves.  
                   
“Donald, you gotta hear this one, man.” Ghoul pleaded, turning to look at Gerard's dad as Gerard looked away from Ghoul.  
                 
“Well, uh, okay, Ghoul. You go ahead.” Donald gestured for him to talk and Ghoul looked at Lindsey pointedly, gaze unwavering. 

“Go ahead, Jamia.” He stated loudly and she stepped out from behind the wall timidly.

“Mia-” Lindsey saw her and then let out a scoff of indignation, stepping aside.

“Hi.” She breathed out nervously, offering a smile as James shuffled anxiously in his seat, “Look, Gerard, I woke up in the barn with Ghoul this morning…” She folded her arms as Ghoul came to stand defensively by her side, “And I thought I did something really stupid.”          

“Mmm.” Gerard replied simply with a raise of his eyebrows.

“How can you come in here and insult this family… After what you did?” Lindsey asked her outright and Jamia turned to her, glancing apologetically at Donna who was right behind Lindsey.

“Look, I don't remember what I did, and I think I know why.” She stated as she began to dig through her purse. She pulled out the bottle of pills and Dewees looked down at his hands on the table. Jamia held them up at her side and  Ghoul eyed them and then eyed Lindsey.

“Ooh.” He trailed off accusingly, looking at Lindsey as Jamia threw the bottle at her lightly, which Lindsey caught with ease.

“I found these in my car.” Jamia explained, “Now, you said you saw me drive off with Ghoul last night,” She began and Lindsey looked at Gerard, shaking her head with disbelief but Gerard's mouth was open and staring at Jamia, “But when I got in my car this morning, the seat was so far back… I couldn't even reach the pedals. And neither could Ghoul considering we're the same height.” Jamia looked at Gerard earnestly.

“Somebody awfully big must have been driving, huh, Hoss?” Ghoul called out in a sing-song, hands  clasped behind his back as he looked at James.

“James, you know anything about this?” Donald asked calmly as Dewees scratched absentmindedly at his hand, all eyes on him. Mikey leaned in, offering him a huge accusing grin.             

“You want to pass those mashed potatoes there, hun?” James asked out to Donna after a moment.

“No, no, no, no, now just to hell with those mashed potatoes.” Donald out a hand out to stop Lindsey from taking the bowl that Donna didn't even bother with, “Now, you better speak up. Your job depends on it.”

James looked at his boss and at Lindsey who was subtly shaking her head at him  with a fixed gaze.

“James?” Gerard asked softly, his voice croaking.

“James?” Donna asked, her voice  somewhat louder, still as calm but with an accusing lilt.

Dewees looked down, sighing, “Aw, hell, Don, it was just a joke.” He looked up at Donald and Lindsey let out a soft groan, looking up at the ceiling. 

“Oh…” Lindsey groaned quietly as James looked at her.

“We took those two out there and we put 'em in the barn. I didn't think everybody was gonna get so upset about it.” James confessed and Gerard's jaw dropped as he stared at him with surprised outrage, his eyes stopping in Ghoul.

“So l didn't bone her.” Ghoul whispered with relief.

“So he didn't bone me.” Jamia grinned happily, folding her arms as she looked at Gerard.

“So you guys didn't bone.” He stated happily, grinning wide at the two of them.  
         
“Oh, now, wait a minute, You can't really believe-” Lindsey stepped in but was automatically shut down

“No, you wait a minute.” Henry exclaimed and everyone turned to look at him in surprise, “I gotta tell you, Lindsey, it really tweaks my melon to see a buff bro like Ghoul here…” Everyone began to giggle except Lindsey and James, “Get wheezed on by a greasy scumbag like you. So you just chill.” He stated simply before he knocked elbows with his daughter-in-law, smiling at her.

“No, Lindsey.” Gerard stood up, “You just get out.”

“Hey, you can't talk to me like that.” Lindsey took a step forward.

“No, but I can.” Ghoul stepped between them to face Gerard, dropping his foot down on Lindsey's before he brought his elbow into her stomach and his fist up as she doubled over, punching her in the nose. He turned, bringing a knee up into her stomach. She let out a groan and fell backwards into a heap on the floor, “Majored in karate for two semesters.” Ghoul held up two fingers smugly as he  leaned sideways on a chair, holding the backrest of it in his hand firmly before he burst into a fit of chuckles with everyone else.

Ghoul clapped happily and slid into Lindsey's seat when Donald spoke up, getting their attention as Gerard sat down as well.

“I gotta say something here. James, now, I appreciate your honesty,” He began and James smiled, “But you're fired.”            

Dewees’ smile vanished, “What?”

“That a boy, Junior!” Henry exclaimed proudly, hitting the table with his hand.

“Now, just take your ass on outta here and take her with you.” Donald gestured to Lindsey who had yet to resurface from the hallway floor behind Jamia.

“You take her.” James stated as he threw his napkin onto the table and stood up, “I don't work here anymore.”           

“He's gonna need a lot of food stamps.” Ghoul muttered softly as James stormed out.

Jamia sighed out breathily and looked around, “I'll do it.” She threw Lindsey's jacket on her as she crawled for the door, “Ah, you are so low.” Jamia mimicked as she physically kicked Lindsey's ass with her boot and sent her back down to the floor. Jamia turned, smiling a goodbye to everyone.

“Jamia.” Donna called out, stopping her as she got up and pulled Jamia back into the dining room with an arm around her, “Would you like to join us for dinner?”

“Are- Are you sure?” Jamia gushed, blushing as she looked around, her eyes landing on Gerard.

“Oh, definitely.” Gerard beamed up at her as Ghoul let out a grunt of agreement.

“Great.” Jamia smiled as she went for the seat between the two Way brothers.

“Come on, sit down here, Mia.” Donald offered with his arms out, gesturing as Mikey shot out of his seat and pulled it back for her. He helped her sit and pushed the chair in before he sat down beside her and scooted his chair closer to her, a cheeky smile on his face. Jamia smiled back at him brightly.

“We'd be real proud to have you join us for Thanksgiving.” Donald continued, “Now, how about… Having my future, um…” 

Mikey looked over at Ghoul and did a small squeezing gesture that had Ghoul chuckling and looking away at Donald.

“Uh, well, son-in-law carve up this bird for us?” Donald offered and Ghoul nodded.

“Oh, uh, wait.” Gerard stood up, remembering that he had a promise to keep to Ghoul, “There's, um, there's something that I need to tell you guys.” Gerard looked around and Ghoul nodded, “See, Ghoul and I were never actually, really-”

Ghoul took Gerard's hand in his, cutting him off, “Sure about the wedding date.” Ghoul spoke over Gerard as he stood up as well, giving Gerard's hand a squeeze, “So we're gonna put things on hold for just a little bit and we'll see how things develop.”            

“Hey, I can respect that.” Donna smiled warmly.

“Oh, yeah, that's a hell of an idea. Hell of an idea.” Donald gushed and Gerard laughed nervously, “No use rushing into these things.” Donald exclaimed as Gerard sunk back into his seat slowly, “All right, all right, all right. Enough of that.” Donald waved a hand.

“Yeah.” Gerard begged internally, still holding Ghoul's hand under the table.

Donald stood up, “Now, let's chow down here… And munch on some grindage!” He yelled out happily as everyone lifted their glasses in agreement, taking a sip of their water.


	14. Chapter 14

The next morning a rooster crowed out loudly, the shrill sound rousing Ghoul from his sleep. He stumbled to the window and grabbed one of his shoes, staring out into the dusk morning with a bleery eye.

He waited for the rooster to crow again when he lobbed the shoe, hitting the chicken square in the chest, knocking it off the fence. He stuck his head out the window, “Shut up. We got the point!”

He shut the window with a loud grunt before he slid back into his secret cuddle session with Gerard, arguing five more minutes to himself before he would have to sneak back to his own bed.

Later that day everyone stood out in front of the house, standing in a line in front of a timed camera. Ghoul stood to the side, his arm around Donald who had his hands in his pockets and his eyes on his wife beside him. Donna smiled up at her husband as she put her arm around her Donald and her other arm around her eldest son. Gerard pulled her close as he popped Ghoul's hat on Mikey's head and brought him in closer. Henry stepped up beside Mikey and put an arm around his youngest grandson.

“Everybody say, 'Cheesy'.” Ghoul called out as the timer clicked off, the smiling family portrait being the send off as the two young boys went back to college that very afternoon, but, not as a couple or even as lovers but as the closest best friends in love.


End file.
